MARSHALL — A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz sold for $28 million at an auction hosted by Heritage Auctions on Saturday. Including fees, the final cost to the buyer reached $32.5 million, significantly surpassing the initial estimate of $3 million.
The live auction attracted competitive bidding, with the price quickly rising as phone bidders competed for 15 minutes. The slippers, one of four known surviving pairs from the 1939 film, are regarded as a significant piece of movie history.
The slippers were previously displayed at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Garland’s hometown. They were stolen in 2005 and remained missing for over a decade before being recovered by the FBI in 2018. The individual convicted of the theft, Terry Jon Martin, was sentenced to time served in 2023 due to health concerns.
The museum, which campaigned to bring the slippers back to Grand Rapids, was among the bidders. It raised funds through donations and public support, including $100,000 from Minnesota lawmakers, but was not the winning bidder.
The auction also included other Wizard of Oz items, such as a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West, which sold for $2.4 million.
The slippers’ sale set a new record for entertainment memorabilia, previously held by Marilyn Monroe’s white dress from The Seven Year Itch, which sold for $5.52 million.
