Ruby Slippers from Wizard of Oz Sell for $32.5M in Heritage Entertainment Auction

In 1939, The Wizard of Oz made history with its transition from the muted black and white in Kansas to a vibrant tapestry of color in the land of Oz. The magic of that film still mesmerizes audiences today, and on Saturday, December 7, 2024, it was the subject of an incredible new auction record.

A pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers sold for a massive $32.5 million in Heritage’s Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction, becoming the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction. Their sale accounted for the bulk of the auction’s $38.6 million total.

They are one of four pair still in existence that Judy Garland wore while filming The Wizard of Oz. The slippers sparked a tornado of interest that started with live bidding at $1.55 million. Bidding jumped to million dollar increments after a few minutes, quickly crushing the $3 million estimate.

“There is simply no comparison between Judy Garland’s ruby slippers and any other piece of Hollywood memorabilia,” Heritage Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said. “The breathtaking result reflects just how important movies and movie memorabilia are to our culture and to collectors. It’s been a privilege for all of us at Heritage to be a part of the slippers’ epic journey over the rainbow and off to a new home.”

This result decimated previous sales of the ruby slippers, which included a pair that sold at auction for $666,000 in 2000. Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio purchased a pair for $2 million in 2012, which were then donated to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

The pair that just sold at Heritage are the ruby slippers that were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005, and recovered by the FBI in 2018. Originally, they were nicknamed “The Traveling Shoes” because they had spent years being displayed in exhibitions, but have since been dubbed “The Stolen Pair” after thief Terry Jon Martin stole them. After authenticating the shoes, the FBI returned the ruby slippers to owner Michael Shaw earlier in 2024 who then consigned them to Heritage.

Bidders continued down the Yellow Brick Road with many more impressive results from The Wizard of Oz memorabilia. The Wicked Witch’s hat, which was also a piece that Shaw exhibited on tour, sold for $2.9 million. The hat is the only one that features “M. Hamiliton 4461-164” on the inside of the brim, referring to Wicked Witch actress Margaret Hamilton.

Producer Mervyn LeRoy’s copy of The Wizard of Oz script from the MGM art department went for $50,000. The screen door from Dorothy’s house went for $37,500 and the wig that Judy Garland wore as Dorothy during the first week of shooting closed at $30,000. The MGM contract signed by “Over the Rainbow” writers Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg reached $23,125.

Collectors didn’t have to travel over the rainbow for opportunities to purchase entertainment memorabilia in the auction. The Jumanji screen-matched primary hero game board, complete with four tokens and a pair of dice, brought $275,000. The Back to the Future Part II sole screen-used hero “flying” hoverboard flew to $237,500. A screen-matched “Concentration No. 3 Gas Bombs” container from 1933’s King Kong exploded to $187,500.

The knit hat, scarf, coat, and mittens that Macaulay Culkin wore as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone opened at $32,000 before clearing $162,500. From Cast Away, a screen-matched “Wilson” volleyball went for $162,500. One of the rare surviving golden tickets from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory garnered $118,750. Author Mario Puzo’s copy of The Godfather Notebook from Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation realized $100,000.