A pair of Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, stolen nearly 20 years ago from a Minnesota museum, were sold at auction for a record $28 million on Saturday. With auction house fees, the final price reached an astounding $32.5 million, making them the most valuable piece of movie memorabilia ever sold at auction.
The slippers, one of only four surviving pairs worn by Garland in the 1939 film, far surpassed their pre-auction estimate of $3 million. Heritage Auctions, which organized the sale, called the result “breathtaking” and underscored the cultural significance of the slippers.
Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena remarked, “There is simply no comparison between Judy Garland’s ruby slippers and any other piece of Hollywood memorabilia.”
A Record-Setting Sale
This record-breaking sale marks the most valuable cinema artifact ever auctioned. Robert Wilonsky, Vice President of Public Relations at Heritage Auctions, said, “At $32.5 million, the slippers are the most valuable cinema treasures in the world, and they helped make this the most successful entertainment auction ever held.”
Previous Auction Sales of Ruby Slippers
While other pairs of ruby slippers have been auctioned before, none reached the same heights. In 2000, a pair sold for $666,000. More recently, Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio purchased another pair for $2 million, donating them to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
The auction on Saturday opened with a bid of $1.55 million and saw competitive bidding, with 25 participants. The slippers were eventually sold to a phone bidder.
A Symbol Beyond Hollywood
The slippers are considered more than just Hollywood memorabilia—they are seen as a symbol of innocence and cultural significance. Rhys Thomas, author of The Ruby Slippers of Oz, explained, “They transcended Hollywood, to the point where they represented the powerful image of innocence to all America.”
The Stolen Slippers’ Journey
The slippers were originally lent to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, by collector Michael Shaw, but were stolen in 2005. They were recovered in 2018 during a sting operation in Minneapolis. FBI agents returned the slippers to Shaw, who described the reunion as “a heartfelt reunion with a long-lost friend.”
The Theft and Legal Proceedings
Terry Martin and Jerry Hal Saliterman, both in their 70s, were charged with the theft. Martin pleaded guilty in 2023, while Saliterman, who was charged in 2024, maintains his innocence.
The Last Four Pairs
Only four pairs of slippers used in the film are known to exist, with one pair housed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Other Movie Memorabilia Sold
Other iconic Wizard of Oz items were also sold at the auction, including:
- The Wicked Witch’s hat, which fetched over $2 million
- Dorothy’s Kansas screen door, sold for $37,500
- A contract signed by the “Over the Rainbow” songwriters, which went for $23,125
- Judy Garland’s “Dorothy Gale” wig, sold for $30,000
