O.J. Simpson's Bible Sells for $80,276 in Auction
O.J. Simpson, 1990. Photo by Gerald Johnson. Public domain.
He left this world — but the storm he stirred up? Still raging. O.J. Simpson's personal artifacts — including a Bible signed by the original Kardashian patriarch — are being sold to the highest bidder, and the bidding war is as messy as his past. Football fans, true crime junkies, and legal vultures are all watching as his legacy is turned into digital dollars.
A Complicated Legacy
O.J. Simpson was a celebrated NFL running back who rose to fame after winning the 1968 Heisman Trophy at the University of Southern California and later setting records with the Buffalo Bills. Once a sports icon and Hollywood personality, Simpson became a central figure in one of the most infamous murder trials in American history. He was acquitted in 1995 of the killings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, but was found liable for their deaths in a 1997 civil suit and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages.
In 2008, Simpson was convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping, serving nine years of a 33-year sentence before being paroled in 2017. He died of prostate cancer in April 2024 at the age of 76.
'The Other' Heisman Trophy
No, it's not the real 1968 Heisman Trophy Simpson won as a USC running back. That one was sold in 1999 for $255,000 to help pay court-ordered damages from a civil suit brought by the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman — after a jury found him liable for their deaths.
The trophy on the auction block now is the replica version awarded to USC. It reportedly made its way back to the school after being stolen years ago, according to ESPN, though it's unclear how the trophy wound up in Simpson's estate before it was consigned to Goldin Auctions.
Bidding for the replica Heisman reached 50 bids, and was sold $42,700 on March 30.
A Bible, a Bidding War, and a Kardashian
The most buzzed-about item isn't a trophy — it's a Bible. Not just any Bible, but one gifted to Simpson by longtime friend and attorney Robert Kardashian Sr. on June 18, 1994 — the day after Simpson was arrested for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Kim Kardashian, now 44, offered $15,000 to buy it privately. The Bible includes a handwritten inscription from her late father — and it clearly holds personal significance for the Kardashian family.
But Kim's offer was flatly rejected.
Malcolm LaVergne, executor of Simpson's estate, told PEOPLE that, "The amount is why I had no choice, because why would I spend $15,000 of estate money — why would I spend $15,000 in attorney's fees — to sell it to Kim for $15,000?" LaVergne explains. "That's a zero-sum game. That's a bad business model. If Kim had offered $150,000 for it, we would've been in court getting this approved outside of the auction.
"Kim can bid on it online," LaVergne added, before the auction ended. "She may even get it cheaper than the 15 grand, so who knows," as reported by PEOPLE.
The Bible ended up being sold for $80,276 at auction.
The note inside, penned by Robert Kardashian Sr., reads like a message to a man on the edge of infamy: "O.J., this book will help... God loves and he will speak to you with his words. Read this book everyday. God has a definite plan for your life. You are his child and he will use you again. I love you and God loves you," as reported by PEOPLE.
A Trophy Cabinet Meets Time Capsule
The estate sale doesn't stop at football trophies and court-era Bibles.
Other items on the auction block include:
- Simpson's NCAA® track and field medal
- A 1974 Vince Lombardi award recognizing his record-setting NFL® rushing season
- An autographed photo of Simpson with President Bill Clinton
- And yes, even a piano from Simpson's personal collection
The executor, LaVergne, is overseeing the sales to help cover outstanding debts — including the $33.5 million Simpson was ordered to pay to the Brown and Goldman families after being found liable in the 1997 civil case. According to Fred Goldman, the amount ballooned to more than $117 million with interest before Simpson's death in April 2024.
O.J. Still Can't Leave the Spotlight
From a scandal-stained Bible to a replica trophy with a murky backstory, everything in this auction is steeped in the mythology of a man whose fame — and infamy — defined a generation.
Now, even in death, Simpson's legacy refuses to fade quietly.
References: O.J. Simpson's Estate Rejects Kim Kardashian's $15K Offer | O.J. Simpson's 'Other' Heisman Hits Auction Block | June 18, 1994 - Robert Kardashian Signed, Inscribed, Personally Owned "The Living Bible" Given to OJ Simpson – OJ Simpson Estate | OJ Simpson Personally Owned Replica 1968 Heisman Trophy - 13 x 6.5 x 14 - OJ Simpson Estate
