In a dazzling moment for Hollywood history, Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz have sold for a staggering $32.5 million, setting a new record for Hollywood memorabilia. The sale, which took place over the weekend at Heritage Auctions, marks the highest price ever paid for a piece of cinematic history.
These dazzling slippers, worn by Garland in the 1939 classic film, are among only four known surviving pairs. Their unique red sequins and unparalleled legacy sparked intense bidding, culminating in a price far beyond expectations. The identity of the winning bidder remains shrouded in mystery, as they have chosen to remain anonymous.
The slippers’ journey has been anything but ordinary. Stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, they remained missing for over a decade. In 2018, however, the prized shoes were recovered through an undercover FBI operation, bringing them back into the public eye.
This record-breaking sale has far outstripped previous Hollywood memorabilia auctions. The previous high was set in 2011 when Marilyn Monroe’s famous dress from The Seven Year Itch sold for $4.6 million—a fraction of the price achieved by Garland’s slippers.
While one pair of the iconic slippers resides in the Smithsonian, the remaining three, including the auctioned pair, are now in private collections.
