A circa 1999 match-worn and signed DonJoy knee brace belonging to WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin sold for $225,700 at Heritage Auctions, setting a new high-water mark for the wrestler’s memorabilia.
The sale, confirmed by ProWrestling-Collectibles, nearly doubles the $115,900 fetched by another Austin brace through the same auction house in May. Fightful reported that the piece featured various scratches, paint loss, and a broken top button that likely ended its in-ring deployment.
‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin’s Circa 1999 Match-Worn, Signed Knee Brace Sells For $225,700 https://t.co/e9GgbKi0ua
Wrestling Memorabilia Valuations Reach Historic Highs
- Wrestling memorabilia valuations continue an aggressive upward trajectory, following record-setting sales for Hulk Hogan’s boots and Conrad Thompson’s WrestleMania III Intercontinental Championship belt.
- Collector demand for authentic Attitude Era artifacts remains heavily concentrated around top-tier icons due to a scarcity of match-worn gear on the open market.
- Auction houses anticipate increased consignments of high-profile items while prevailing market multiples remain at historic highs.
Inside the Record-Breaking Heritage Auctions Sale
Listed as Lot 81947 in Heritage’s Fall Sports Catalog Auction, the 16-inch DonJoy brace includes a final price that factors in a 22 percent buyer’s premium. The item dates back to the height of the Monday Night Wars, when Austin anchored World Wrestling Entertainment through its fiercest television ratings battles against World Championship Wrestling.
The brace carries an Austin signature in gold paint pen alongside the date “5-8-99.” A WWF authentication sticker sits adjacent to the inscription. The lot also includes a letter of authenticity signed by Linda McMahon, paired with documentation from WWE, Heritage Auctions, PSA/DNA, and Beckett Authentication Services.
| Item Description | Auction House | Sale Date | Final Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circa 1999 Austin Knee Brace | Heritage Auctions | October 2026 | $225,700 |
| Austin Knee Brace | Heritage Auctions | May 2026 | $115,900 |
| WrestleMania 38 Match-Worn Austin Knee Brace | Fanatics | March | $58,045 |
The Escalating Valuation of Attitude Era Artifacts
Austin’s gear has experienced a steep appreciation curve across a seven-month span. The sequence began in March when the brace worn during his No Holds Barred match against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38 brought $58,045 via a Fanatics auction. That event marked Austin’s in-ring return on April 2, 2022, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, ending a 19-year hiatus.
That figure climbed to $115,900 in May before doubling again to $225,700 over the weekend. The market surge is driven by a distinct lack of primary match-worn apparel from the Texas Rattlesnake, noting that items such as his signature ring vests have never publicly surfaced for collectors.
1999 Stone Cold Steve Austin Event-Used & signed Knee Brace sold for $225,700 at Heritage! This moves to rank 1 for Steve Austin! Making it Austin's top auctioned item ever! See Stone Cold's Top 20 Historical Auctions here: https://t.co/gL85tEFiVX pic.twitter.com/Mwu1eNi2Zv
The same auction catalog featured Conrad Thompson’s WrestleMania III Intercontinental Championship belt, which achieved a record $716,750 on Saturday. That figure still trails the overall wrestling memorabilia record set earlier in the year by Hulk Hogan’s boots from the first WrestleMania, which cleared $1,037,000 at Heritage.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
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