The Air Jordan XII was originally released from 1996-’97. Five colorways were released and they were the first Air Jordan to feature Zoom Air. They were retroed for the first time from 2003-’04. The first run of the Air Jordan 12 Retro also included the first-ever ‘online exclusive’ release for Jordan Brand, the ‘Nubuck’ colorway. They were only available to ‘Team Jordan’ members (registered members of Jumpman23.com/NikeStore.com) who were mailed, yes mailed (not e-mailed) a special URL to go to along with a date and time to purchase the shoe. Needless to say, the site wasn’t prepared for this and the amount of traffic caused nike.com to crash.
In a day before social media, it left everyone to voice their feelings on Forums (SC/ISS & NT) until Nike came out with a splash page addressing the technical difficulty which led to a delay in the release. So if you think a NDC site crash today is big, imagine how it was in 2003 when people still had dial-up modems. By the end of May 2004, ten Air Jordan 12 Retros were released. This included the original black/red colorway (with a leather upper) as well as a ‘French Blue’ edition which changed from its original sample due to MJ being fired by the Wizards after he finished his final season with them.
A women’s edition was also released, that was a UNC/Melo PE which later dropped in men’s sizes in limited fashion. Also, the Air Jordan 12 Retro come in low top, a first for the Air Jordan XII. After this run, the XII would have a brief hiatus until it would return in 2008 as a part of the final ‘Countdown’ Package. That also marked the first time the ‘Taxi’ colorway was retroed in its original form as its previous release in 2004 was in low top.
2009 marked the second run for the Air Jordan 12 Retro. Kicking things off was the re-release of the former online exclusive ‘Nubuck’ edition. Three more colorways would release after that, which included the ‘Rising Sun’ edition which was re-called due to its offensive insoles and released a couple months after their original scheduled date. The original black/red colorway returned, only this time with a nubuck upper, inspired by the ‘Flu Game,’ complete with unique details throughout the shoe in honor of MJ’s performance.
After that, we would have to wait three years for the third run of the Air Jordan 12 Retro, in 2012. This consisted of three releases, which included the return of the ‘Playoff’ edition and the ‘Obsidian’ in its original form, for the first time since 1997. In December of 2013, the Air Jordan 12 Retro made a brief appearance by releasing in two colorways. This included the return of the original ‘Taxi’ colorway, available for the first time as a GR since it’s original release as its previous releases came in the form of two low top retros and packaged in the Jordan 11/12 Collezione ‘Countdown’ Pack.
At this time, the Air Jordan 12 Retro is not scheduled to return. However, with 2015 being the 30th Anniversary of the Air Jordan, anything’s possible. So for now, let’s take a look at the history of the Air Jordan XII from its first release up to the most recent retro below.
1.
The Air Jordan XII was originally released from 1996-’97. Five colorways were released and they were the first Air Jordan to feature Zoom Air. They were retroed for the first time from 2003-’04. The first run of the Air Jordan 12 Retro also included the first-ever ‘online exclusive’ release for Jordan Brand, the ‘Nubuck’ colorway. They were only available to ‘Team Jordan’ members (registered members of Jumpman23.com/NikeStore.com) who were mailed, yes mailed (not e-mailed) a special URL to go to along with a date and time to purchase the shoe. Needless to say, the site wasn’t prepared for this and the amount of traffic caused nike.com to crash.
In a day before social media, it left everyone to voice their feelings on Forums (SC/ISS & NT) until Nike came out with a splash page addressing the technical difficulty which led to a delay in the release. So if you think a NDC site crash today is big, imagine how it was in 2003 when people still had dial-up modems. By the end of May 2004, ten Air Jordan 12 Retros were released. This included the original black/red colorway (with a leather upper) as well as a ‘French Blue’ edition which changed from its original sample due to MJ being fired by the Wizards after he finished his final season with them.
A women’s edition was also released, that was a UNC/Melo PE which later dropped in men’s sizes in limited fashion. Also, the Air Jordan 12 Retro come in low top, a first for the Air Jordan XII. After this run, the XII would have a brief hiatus until it would return in 2008 as a part of the final ‘Countdown’ Package. That also marked the first time the ‘Taxi’ colorway was retroed in its original form as its previous release in 2004 was in low top.
2009 marked the second run for the Air Jordan 12 Retro. Kicking things off was the re-release of the former online exclusive ‘Nubuck’ edition. Three more colorways would release after that, which included the ‘Rising Sun’ edition which was re-called due to its offensive insoles and released a couple months after their original scheduled date. The original black/red colorway returned, only this time with a nubuck upper, inspired by the ‘Flu Game,’ complete with unique details throughout the shoe in honor of MJ’s performance.
After that, we would have to wait three years for the third run of the Air Jordan 12 Retro, in 2012. This consisted of three releases, which included the return of the ‘Playoff’ edition and the ‘Obsidian’ in its original form, for the first time since 1997. In December of 2013, the Air Jordan 12 Retro made a brief appearance by releasing in two colorways. This included the return of the original ‘Taxi’ colorway, available for the first time as a GR since it’s original release as its previous releases came in the form of two low top retros and packaged in the Jordan 11/12 Collezione ‘Countdown’ Pack.
At this time, the Air Jordan 12 Retro is not scheduled to return. However, with 2015 being the 30th Anniversary of the Air Jordan, anything’s possible. So for now, let’s take a look at the history of the Air Jordan XII from its first release up to the most recent retro below.
2.
Air Jordan XII ‘Taxi’
130690-101
White/Black-Taxi
1996
3.
Air Jordan XII
130690-161
White/Varsity Red-Black
1997
4.
Air Jordan XII
130690-411
Obsidian/White-French Blue
1997
5.
Air Jordan XII
130690-061
Black/Varsity Red
1997
6.
Air Jordan XII ‘Playoff’
136001-061
Black/Varsity Red-White-Metallic Silver
1997
7.
Air Jordan 12 Retro
136001-063
Black/Varsity Red
10/25/2003
8.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Nubuck’
136001-014
Black/White-University Blue
11/28/2003
9.
Air Jordan 12 Retro
136001-102
White/Flint Grey-Metallic Silver
12/13/2003
10.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘French Blue’
136001-141
White/French Blue-Metallic Silver-Varsity Red
01/10/2004
11.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Playoff’
136001-016
Black/White-Varsity Red
02/14/2004
12.
Air Jordan 12 Retro Women’s 'UNC'
308243-142
White/University Blue-Metallic Silver
02/14/2004
13.
Air Jordan 12 Retro Low
308317-441
Obsidian/University Blue-White
04/10/2004
14.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Melo’
136001-142
White/University Blue-Metallic Silver
05/15/2004
15.
Air Jordan 12 Retro Low ‘Taxi’
308317-101
White/Black-Taxi
05/22/2004
16.
Air Jordan 12 Retro Low Women’s
308306-161
White/Real Pink-Metallic Silver
05/22/2004
17.
Air Jordan 12 Retro Collezione ‘CDP’
130690-109
White/Black-Taxi
12/20/2008
18.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Nubuck’
130690-018
Black/White-University Blue
05/30/2009
19.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Rising Sun’
130690-161
White/Varsity Red-Black
11/21/2009
20.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Flu Game’
130690-065
Black/Varsity Red
11/27/2009
21.
Air Jordan 12 Retro
130690-110
White/Black-Varsity Red
12/19/2009
22.
Air Jordan 12 Retro Low ‘Taxi’
308317-104
White/Black-Taxi
04/09/2011
23.
Air Jordan 12 Retro Low
308317-001
Black/Varsity Red
05/28/2011
24.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Playoff’
130690-001
Black/Varsity Red-White
04/21/2012
25.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Bobcats’
130690-012
Cool Grey/White-Team Orange
05/19/2012
26.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Obsidian’
130690-410
Obsidian/University Blue-White-French Blue
06/23/2012
27.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Taxi’
130690-127
White/Black-Taxi
12/14/2013
28.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Gamma’
130690-027
Black/Gym Red-Gamma Blue
12/26/2013
29.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘PSNY’
130690-003
Dark Grey/Dark Grey-Black
12/15/2015
30.
Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘The Master’
130690-013
Black/Rattan White-Metallic Gold
2/27/2016
31.
Air Jordan 12 Retro "French Blue"
Colorway: White/French Blue-Metallic Silver-Varsity Red
Style Code: 130690-113
Release Date: April 2, 2016
Retail Price: $190
32.
Colorway: Black/White-Metallic Gold
Style Code: 848692-033
Price: $225
Release Date: April 2, 2016
33.Air Jordan 12 Retro "Flu Game"
Colorway: Black/Varsity Red
Style Code: 130690-002
Price: $190
Release Date: May 28, 2016
34.Air Jordan 12 Retro "Alternate"
Colorway: Gym Red/Black-White
Style Code: 130690-600
Price: $190
Release Date: July 2, 2016
35.Air Jordan 12 Retro GS "Hyper Jade"
Colorway: Black/Hyper Jade-Metallic Silver
Style Code: 510815-017
Price: $140
Release Date: July 2, 2016
36.
Colorway: Gym Red/Black-White
Style Code: 130690-600
Price: $190
Release Date: July 2, 2016
37.
Colorway: White/Black-Wolf Grey
Style Code: 510815-108
Price: $140
Release Date: Aug. 13, 2016
Colorway: Light Bone/Metallic Gold Star-Plum Fog
Style Code: 845028-025
Price: $160
Release Date: Sept. 10, 2016
38.
Colorway: Black/Gym Red-White
Style Code: 130690-004
Price: $190
Release Date: Sept. 10, 2016
39.Air Jordan 12 Retro x OVO "White"
Colorway: White/Metallic Gold-White
Style Code: 873864-102
Price: $225
Release Date: Oct. 1, 2016
Colorway: Dark Grey/Metallic Silver-Black
Style Code: 852627-003
Price: $200
Release Date: Oct. 1, 2016