Tony Hawk’s Vans are Up for Auction

Skip to main contentPlus four other grails we’re ogling at the skating legend’s upcoming memorabilia sale.Getty Images, GQLast year, halfpipe GOAT Tony Hawk cleaned out his closet, auctioning off more than 90 relics from his storied skateboarding career to benefit The Skatepark Project. As the first officially sanctioned auction of Hawk’s personal memorabilia, it represented a treasure trove of ‘80s and ‘90s skate history, from ridden skateboard decks to a one-of-one jacket gifted to Hawk following his 2003 cameo on The Simpsons. The highlight of the sale was the board Hawk rode at the 1999 X-Games, where he became the first person to officially land a 900-degree aerial spin, which sold for more than $1 million. Fortunately for anyone who missed out on that historic sale, Hawk and Julien’s Auctions have teamed up again for another event featuring more than 50 wide-ranging lots, from his signed and ridden 50 Tricks at 50 skateboard to his first 85-cent royalty check from Powell-Peralta."These lots are authentic pieces of skateboarding and pop-culture history,” says Martin Nolan, the co-founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions. “Tony isn’t just a champion; he’s the defining figure who helped transform skateboarding from an underground subculture into a global sport and cultural movement.” Hawk will appear live to introduce and sell the first 10 lots before the auction continues online, with online bidding for the remaining 51 lots open until August 24. For anyone who spent their formative years practicing ollies in school parking lots, and/or ripping the halfpipe on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater for PlayStation, it’s a rare opportunity to own a connection to one of the sport’s most influential pioneers. Here’s what we’re eyeing.Estimate: $500 - $700A souvenir from Hawk’s inaugural partnership with the famed SoCal sneaker brand released in celebration of Activision’s 2020 remastered Pro Skater PlayStation game. Sure, they’re not the shredded Adio sneakers Hawk wore for the ‘99 X-Games (those sold last year for an impressive $64,000) but they’ll still earn you some bragging rights down at the skatepark. If you can’t swing the estimate (and you wear a size 9.5), you could also snag this pair from eBay.Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000Anyone who spends thousands on this well-grinded Birdhouse deck from the early aughts would probably be inclined to display it under glass like the priceless relic it is, but we have a feeling Hawk would equally endorse riding the absolute heck out of it.Estimate: $500 - $700For anyone who was cognizant in 1993, this represents several facets of a very specific place and time in American culture. For those who weren’t, consider it an initiation. The shirt was designed by Jeremy Klein, founder of the skate brand Hook-Ups, and was worn by Hawk during the filming of a 1993 music video for the LA grunge band Dig. Traci Lords, the infamous ‘80s porn star-turned John Waters muse and Melrose Place guest star, happened to be on set (she was dating the band's lead singer, Scott Hackwith), and she signed the front of the shirt for Hawk. That’s a whole lot of ‘90s history for $500.Estimate: $600 - $800Tony Hawk’s watch collection runs deep in Nixon, the skate-adjacent timepiece brand co-founded by a former Burton engineer in 1998. One of two Nixon tickers on the block (this Nirvana-themed one is also tempting), this limited edition stands out thanks to a strap made from one of Hawk’s leather jackets.Estimate: $600 - $800By 1992, Tony Hawk was already a big name on the scene, but even the best skaters in the world need a place to practice. Hawk’s local was the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas, near his hometown of San Diego, which remains among the best skateparks in the region more than 30 years later. Hawk’s old membership card might not get you in for free, but it’ll definitely impress whoever’s working the door.Sign up for Show Notes to get news on the latest runway shows, parties, and insider events on the international fashion circuit.Jeremy Freed is a writer for GQ Recommends, where he covers all things horological (a.k.a. watches). Jeremy discovered the world of watches as the editor of a Canadian men’s magazine, and has spent the last decade trying to understand what makes them continue to inspire such passion and desire in ... Read More