These 10 ultra-popular sneakers are leading an explosion in the resale market

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These 10 ultra-popular sneakers are leading an explosion in the resale market

Yeezy Wave Racer

Getty/Jeremy Moeller

Yeezy 700 Wave Runner shoes were some of the most popular sneakers on the resale market in 2018.

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  • Sneaker resale is booming. It's now estimated to be a $2 billion market, according to Cowen & Co. estimates.
  • That market is projected to triple in size over the next several years, reaching more than $6 billion by 2025.
  • With the help of StockX, Cowen compiled a list of the most sold sneakers on the platform over the last year.

Sneaker collecting is becoming an increasingly common pastime, and it's fueling a secondhand market that is exploding.

Sneaker resale is now estimated to be a $2 billion market, according to Cowen & Co estimates. It's projected to triple over the next several years, reaching more than $6 billion by 2025.

Almost all of that market is led by sneakers produced by Nike and, to a lesser extent, Adidas, which create rare and highly sought-after models that command prices reaching as high as $50,000.

While sneaker resale started out as a way to cop extremely rare, collectible kicks, most of the shoes actually sold in this way are less than $300 and have been restocked multiple times, according to StockX data provided to Cowen. The data covered StockX's most popular models in the 12 months ending in March.

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Another observation: seven out of the 10 most commonly resold shoes are made by Adidas, specifically its Yeezy sub-brand in collaboration with Kanye West. The other three are made by Nike, but, again, specifically by its Jordan sub-brand that started as a collaboration with Michael Jordan.

Here were the most commonly resold sneakers in the last year:

All price information is courtesy of StockX via Cowen and effective March 26.

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10. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Sesame

10. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Sesame

Number sold: 24,724

Lowest ask: $271

Another minimal colorway of the 350, this one was released in November 2018 and retailed for $220.

9. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Static

9. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Static

Number sold: 24,877

Lowest ask: $303

One of the more interesting 350s ever released, the stripe down the side is see-through, meaning observers can tell what kind of socks the wearer is pairing with these sneakers that were released in December 2018 for $220.

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8. Jordan 1 Retro High Shadow (2018)

8. Jordan 1 Retro High Shadow (2018)

Number sold: 27,236

Lowest ask: $218

Released in April 2018, these $160 "high shadow" sneakers use a black-and-gray colorway that rarely appears on Air Jordan 1s.

7. Jordan 1 Retro High Homage To Home (Non-numbered)

7. Jordan 1 Retro High Homage To Home (Non-numbered)

Number sold: 27,250

Lowest ask: $220

These retro Jordans combine the iconic "banned" shoe with the colors of the Chicago Bulls, splitting the shoe exactly in half. They were released in May 2018 and retailed for $160.

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6. Jordan 11 Retro Concord (2018)

6. Jordan 11 Retro Concord (2018)

Number sold: 33,106

Lowest ask: $249

Made famous in the movie "Space Jam," this vintage replica Jordan shoe was released in December 2018 and retailed for $220.

5. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Cream/Triple White

5. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Cream/Triple White

Number sold: 36,862

Lowest ask: $250

Originally released in April 2017, these minimal 350s retailed for $220 and were restocked in September 2018.

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4. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Zebra

4. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Zebra

Number sold: 37,031

Lowest ask: $350

One of the most popular 350 colorways, zebra was first released in February 2017 for $220 and re-released in June 2018.

3. Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner Solid Grey

3. Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner Solid Grey

Number sold: 37,666

Lowest ask: $370

Kanye West made waves when the Boost 700 Wave Runner was released in November 2017 with a retail price of $300. It is one of the first models that has seen restocks.

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2. Adidas Yeezy 500 Blush

2. Adidas Yeezy 500 Blush

Number sold: 38,599

Lowest ask: $250

Released in April 2018 and retailing for $200, Blush was the second color released for the 500.

1. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Butter

1. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Butter

Number sold: 46,241

Lowest ask: $247

Released in June 2018 and retailing for $220, it is one of the only Yeezy 350 v2 shoes without the obvious SPLY-350 red text. It's also been one of the most popular Yeezy drops over time, with a large amount of supply keeping secondhand trading high and prices not much higher than retail.

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