Skateboarding Hawk puts his history making 900 skateboard up for auction

Skateboarding great Tony Hawk has announced that he is putting his most famous deck up for auction with the goal of raising money to build skateparks in underserved areas.

Hawk landed his groundbreaking 900 - 2-1/2 full mid-air rotations - at the 1999 X Games in a moment that helped propel the sport out of the subculture and into the mainstream.

The Birdhouse Falcon 2 board is expected to fetch between $500,000 and $700,000 when it goes on the block in Los Angeles on September 23, according to Juliens Auctions.

Hawk called the moment he became the first skateboarder to land the trick in front of a roaring X Games crowd after several failed attempts on June 27, 1999 the best day of my life.

It was a huge moment in my career - the result of years of persistence and getting back up after every fall, he said in a press release.

Other items up for sale include Hawks signed helmet, knee pads, sneakers, and the 1999 X Games Vert Finals bronze medal.

I never imagined that my board, pads or helmet from that day would be of any interest to collectors, he said.

A portion of the sale proceeds will benefit The Skatepark Project (TSP),Hawks foundation supporting skatepark construction in underserved communities.

TSP grant programs have awarded over $13 million to help fund nearly 700 public skateparks in all 50 U.S. states, enjoyed by an estimated 17 million people annually, according to the non-profit organisations website. REUTERS

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