Ruby Slippers From The Wizard of Oz Fetch Record $32.5 Million at Auction

Dallas: A pair of iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz (1939) sold for a record-breaking $32.5 million at auction on Saturday, setting a new standard for movie memorabilia. The sale included a winning bid of $28 million, plus an additional $4.5 million in fees to the auction house. The slippers, one of only four surviving pairs from the film, had previously been stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005.

The auction, hosted by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, started with an opening bid of $1.55 million and quickly surpassed the estimated value of $3 million. In total, the sale raised almost $40 million, setting a new record for entertainment auctions. Another significant item sold during the event was the Wicked Witch’s hat, which fetched $2.9 million.

The slippers were recovered by the FBI in 2018 following a sting operation. They were stolen by 77-year-old Terry Jon Martin, who used a hammer to smash the display case at the museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Martin later confessed to the crime and was sentenced to time served in January 2024, citing health issues.

The Ruby Slippers were authenticated by cross-referencing them with a pair at the Smithsonian, revealing that they had been swapped at some point. After the FBI returned them to their original owner, Michael Shaw, they were put up for auction.

Despite efforts by the Judy Garland Museum to secure funds for the purchase, the museum did not win the slippers. The City of Grand Rapids and local lawmakers had contributed to the museum’s bid, hoping to bring the slippers back to Garland’s birthplace.