11/2006
Average resale value $300 USD
7/2007
MF DOOMs
The Swoosh definitely did this one for the real hip-hop heads: calling back to the reclusive emcees metallic face mask with a 3M tongue and logo; a clear sole with a portrait of the artist born Viktor Vaughn and an ostrich leather toe box. The attention to detail made this highly sought-after by not only sneakerheads but music aficionados, continuing Nike’s trend of honoring musicians.
Average resale value $350 USD
8/2006
Sabotage "SBTG"
Nike teamed up with the eponymous famed street artist Sabotage on a pair of gems that showcased his unique personal style, including his tag on the toe box, custom lace-locks, and a lace-cover. This color blocking is noticeable within any Nike SB circle for its intricate attention to detail, military-esque colorblocking and eye-popping red highlights.
Average resale value $200 USD
Purple Pigeons
Not to be mistaken with the Pigeons designed by Jeff Staple, the Purple Pigeons were a creation of James Arizumi. While it featured grey suede like the original, these took on a purple hue instead of the orange and thus gave birth to the sneakers nickname. Instead of having a pigeon already sown on, pigeon patches were attached to a lace bag and meant for the customer to have fun attaching according to the look they wanted.
Average resale value $1,000+ USD
4/2006
Supreme Blazer SBs "Red"
The Supreme Blazer SB pack needs no introduction, really. The Lafayette giant released black, white and red colorways of the skate silhouette. Utilizing a quilted and stitched leather upper and toe box coupled with a Gucci-inspired heel tab, Supreme took the Nike Blazer and elevated it to another level. Included in the release were three pairs of metal tipped laces, something we take for granted nowadays but at the time was completely fresh in the sneaker game.
Average resale value $375 USD
2/2006
Send Helps
The Send Help Dunks were designed by graphic artist Todd Bratrud (of Consolidated Skateboards fame) and featured an all-suede upper with hits of contrasting reef blue on black. The skeleton insoles were a crucial detail as well and the way these pop make them one of the best black box SBs.
11/2005
Average resale value $3,000 USD
3/2005
Paris Dunks
The Paris Dunks are among the most expensive shoes available on the resale market, and for good reason: created as part of the traveling “White Dunk” art exhibit in Paris, painter Bernard Buffet made sure that each of the 202 pairs were unique. As a result, pairs fetch upwards of five digits on eBay, easy. Like the Pigeons, these are 1/4 of the Mt. Rushmore of Nike SBs.
Average resale value $350 USD
7/2005
Stüssys
One of two pairs of Dunks, the other being the Tiffanys, created in the "Team Manager" series. Stussy's team manager Robbie Jeffers was in charge of the design and thought of the "Neapolitan" colorway because of the summertime ice cream inspiration. Decked out in leather, each color represented a flavor of ice cream: brown for chocolate, pink for strawberry, and the white for vanilla. Waffle cone insoles and a nice cherry tongue tag finished off this iconic colorway.
Average resale value $6,000 USD
1/2005
Staple Pigeon Dunks
The story of the Pigeon Dunks has passed over from sneaker lore into history. A shoe release causing literal riots was a watershed moment in sneaker culture. Slews of people lined up in New York’s Lower East Side outside Reed Space for a sneaker inspired by New York City’s flying pests, complete with an embroidered pigeon on the heel panel for good measure. Jeff Staple made history with these beauties which are 1/4 of the Nike SB “City Series” pack.
Average resale value $500 USD
Tiffany Dunks
People love to throw “game-changer” around, but the Tiffany Dunks really did change the game. It’s no coincidence that even sneaker entrepreneurs like Kemar Newell cite the Tiffany’s drop as an inspirational moment. Black alligator leather, a chrome Swoosh,
that instantly recognizable Tiffany colorway,
and the lines they spawned make the Tiffany’s one of the most important shoes — let alone SBs — of all time.
Average resale value $280 USD
11/2005
Medicom 3
The Medicom 3s were notable for being the first SB to completely cover a silhouette in reflective 3M material. Although there were sneakers that used reflective 3M prior, none were covered entirely like these and done in collaboration with Medicom Toy. Helping
it shine bright as day even in the darkest of nights, this pair came with a special box
and dustbag.
Average resale value $500 USD
11/2005
De La Soul Highs
The fan favorite De La Souls have been retroed in recent years, but the OGs changed the game: the earth-toned elephant print and holographic panels that referenced the legendary hip-hop crew’s influential '3 Feet High and Rising' album artwork made them an instant classic.
Average resale value $350 USD
5/2004
Jedis
Again, these are not officially affiliated with the Star Wars franchise, but the Jedis were instantly coveted, primarily for their neon laces and Yoda-inspired colorway. The neon laces would inspire much more vibrant color tones from Nike and led to many people creating their own laces at home. Had these,
you wish you did.
Average resale value $425 USD
8/2004
Bonsai "420″ Hemps
Stoners rejoiced when the 420s dropped. Utilizing hemp as a material and a deep green color across the upper, the sneaker gave off the perfect vibe for those looking to express their love of marijuana culture. Naturally, only 420 pairs were ever made, making these a cannabis connoisseur collector’s item.
Average resale value $900+ USD
9/2004
U.N.K.L.Es
One of the more infamous pairs on this list that actually straddled both the silver and pink box eras, the U.N.K.L.E’s were a collaboration between the British trip-hop outfit of the same name and street artist Futura. The shoes are contentious because Futura allegedly never gave the green light for the release. The pink hue with graphics is still one of the most iconic silhouettes ever made and took collaboration to another level by thinking outside of the immediate skate realm.
Average resale value $800 USD
6/2003
Heinekens
The Heinekens were in no way an official collaboration with the Dutch beer company, but the extremely popular colorway remains one of the most recognizable and sought-after SBs. Despite the lack of endorsement, that red star on the heel panel commands attention and the color blocking is still instantly noticed anywhere on the street.
Average resale value $3,000 USD
N/A Friends and Family only
Alphanumeric Pro B
The Alphanumeric Pro B may not technically be an SB, but they were the prototype for the SB and should be respected as such. Crafted specifically for the friends and family of the skate brand Alphanumeric, this pair featured a lightning colorway and the skateshop’s livery on the front panel just between the toe box and the Swoosh. Nike later took off the
skateshop’s branding and dropped these as the “Lightning” Pro B’s to the public.
Average resale value $1,250 USD
12/2002
Reese Forbes "Denim"
Skateboarding legend Reese Forbes took experimental materials to the next level, decking out a pair of Dunk Lows entirely in denim. Raw hems and a midsole with selvedge ID motifs made these an instant collector’s item and paved the way for future collaborations to think outside the box when it comes to materials.
Average resale value $550 USD
9/2002
Supreme Lows "Blue/White"
Supreme may be notorious for its outlandish collaborations these days —- MetroCard, mini-bikes and bricks — but the iconic Downtown brand is, at its core, a skateshop. Its first collaboration with Nike was on a Dunk Low that drew heavily from the Jordan 3′s iconic elephant print. These actually sat on shelves when they initially dropped, but they’ve since grown to become grails in the sneakerhead realm: instantly recognizable and
practically unattainable.
Average resale value $1,000+ USD
6/2002
Zoo Yorks
Supa’s second entry into the SB Dunk canon put his team, Zoo York, front and center. This coveted silhouette paired tabloid headlines with a gumsole for a look that is unmistakably New York. The elusive kicks were reportedly limited to a mere 444 pairs.
Average resale value $850 USD
3/2002
Danny Supas
The Supas started it all — not only were they the first SBs ever released, but they ushered in an era of collaboration. Zoo York skater and legend Danny Supa helped design the singular colorway and in turn birthed a new era in sneaker politics.
Fifteen years ago, Nike made the bold decision to get into the skateboarding market. Nike SB’s first foray into skating footwear—the SB Dunk—took visual inspiration from the Air Jordan 1 and provided a perfect canvas for creatives and collaborators to run wild on. Dunk releases also became watershed moments in sneaker history. Like them or not, Nike SBs and the Dunks specifically are integral to every sneakerhead’s DNA. Massive lines on Fairfax and the Lower East Side were unprecedented before the Tiffany and Pigeon Dunks, respectively. The skateboarding shoes were a progenitor for the collaboration and creativity we see on blogs like this every day: experiments with materials, packaging and rollout. While Nike just rolled out an interactive site of its own, we at HYPEBEAST have decided to round up our favorite SB’s Dunks in celebration of the iconic line’s 15th anniversary and organize them according to box color.
Below are the Top 5 most iconic of each color box along with
resell prices for DS pairs on eBay.
