A knee brace Stone Cold Steve Austin wore during the Attitude Era sold for $225,700 in a Heritage Auctions sale that ran from Friday to Sunday.
The brace, identified as dating to around 1999, was part of lot 81947. Austin wore it in matches, and it came with a WWE letter of authenticity signed by Linda McMahon.
The DonJoy brace bears Austin’s signature in gold ink, along with the inscription “5-8-99,” a reference to May 8, 1999. There is also a WWF seal of authenticity near the signature.
The brace shows signs of use, including scratches and worn paint. Three of its four Velcro fasteners still work, but the top button is broken. Heritage Auctions believes the damage may have been the reason Austin stopped wearing the brace in the ring.
The auction house set a pre-sale estimate of $30,000 or more. The final price of $225,700 includes the 22% buyer’s premium. Not counting the premium, the winning bid was $185,000.
The price topped another Heritage Auctions sale involving Austin in May. In that auction, a knee brace he wore from 1998 to 2001 sold for $115,900.
Another knee brace Austin wore, this one in his in-ring return against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38, was also auctioned off in March for $58,045.
According to Heritage Auctions, few pieces of Austin’s match-worn gear have made it to the collector market.