142-year-old Levi’s jeans dug out from abandoned mine sold for Rs 71.7 lakh

A pair of good old denim jeans is deemed one of the ultimate must-haves in every wardrobe. But would you go as far as to buy a pair of Levi’s jeans that is 142 years old and costs you $87,000 (Rs 71.7 lakh)?

According to a CNN report, 23-year-old Kyle Hautner and a vintage denim enthusiast Zip Stevenson together bought the pair of jeans that was recovered from an abandoned mine for that price.

The worn-out apparel, dating back to the 1880s, was sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico for the highest price ever paid for a pair of denim pants. The price includes a 15 per cent buyer’s premium. Hautner paid 90 per cent and Stevenson paid the remaining.

Stevenson runs a denim repair shop ‘Stevenson's Denim Doctors store’ in Los Angeles and is in complete awe of the newly-dug out pair of jeans. He says that it has fantastic worn condition and size and is extremely rare.

Stevenson also said that he first heard about the jeans five years ago when it was discovered by ‘denim archaeologist’ Michael Harris, who is on a quest to find rare pieces like this one. He added that though the latter has led searches in nearly 50 abandoned mines for around five years, he has not been able to find a pair that matches the 1880s piece.

It is learnt that only a couple of similar pairs exist. They are kept in museums and are too delicate to wear. Stevenson said that this pair of jeans is durable and can be worn.

Stevenson intends to offer the pair for sale if he stumbles upon a genuinely interested buyer. The pair of jeans is now stored away in a safety deposit box at Stevenson's store and can be viewed by booking appointments.