Hi Ross,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

The Nike America spikes were part of the company's earliest efforts to create performance shoes for elite runners. They reflect the Bill Bowerman design era — Nike’s co-founder and track coach at the University of Oregon. Such spikes were famously worn by members of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field team, particularly around the 1972 Munich Olympics. They were often used for middle- and long-distance events. Featuring nylon uppers, waffle-pattern outsoles, and sometimes suede detailing, they were among Nike’s first attempts to compete with Adidas and Puma in track shoes.

Authentic vintage Nike Americas, especially in good condition like yours, are highly collectible. They're prized by sneaker collectors, track and field historians and Nike brand archivists and can sometimes fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars at auction, particularly if they were issued to Olympic athletes or are unworn with original packaging, as this pair is.

A couple other pairs I've found that have been offered at auction recently, have sold for between $3,000 and $7,000 (note those at the higher range have provenance to known collectors and/or athletes; because your pair is in unworn, all-original condition, it has a fair-market value of $4,000-6,000 (if there is additional information you can share about the history of ownership of this pair, I am happy to consider it and increase the value as necessary.)

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A vintage pair of Nike Americas suede and nylon track spikes
made in Japan, circa mid 1970s
Size 12-1/2
CONDITION: In new condition, unworn, in the original factory cardboard shoebox with tissue paper, spike wrench and promotional and informational ephemera inside
PROVENANCE: Unknown
$4,000-6,000*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia