Record-Breaking Sale of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers Hits $28 Million!

A pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz just became the most expensive piece of movie memorabilia ever sold. 🌐 #News #StPaulMN #Minnesota #Entertainment

ST. PAUL, MN – A pair of iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz has made history. After a dramatic auction, the famous shoes sold for an astounding $28 million on Saturday, setting a new record for the most expensive piece of movie memorabilia ever sold. What makes this sale even more remarkable is the slippers’ deep connection to Minnesota, where they were famously stolen in 2005. Now, nearly two decades later, they’ve made their way back into the spotlight—and onto the auction block—bringing their rich and eventful past along with them.

The Auction: A Record-Breaking Price

The ruby slippers were expected to fetch around $3 million, but the final bid soared far past that estimate. With the auction house fees included, the total price ended up at $32.5 million. This surpasses the previous record held by Marilyn Monroe’s white dress from The Seven Year Itch, which sold for $5.52 million in 2011.

The bidding process was intense, with offers escalating rapidly as bidders, including several on the phone, competed for the prized artifact. Within minutes, the price had more than tripled, and after a 15-minute battle, the slippers found a new owner.

The Slippers’ Storied Past

These ruby slippers are no ordinary piece of movie memorabilia. Four pairs of shoes worn by Garland during the 1939 film have survived, with some displayed in places like the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. But the slippers that sold this weekend have a particularly dramatic history.

In 2005, the shoes were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Garland’s birthplace. The thief broke into the museum, smashed the display case, and took the slippers. The shoes were missing for over a decade before being recovered in 2018 by the FBI in a sting operation.

The slippers were returned to their rightful owner, Michael Shaw, who had originally purchased them in 1970. After years of being displayed in various museums, Shaw decided to auction the slippers in January 2024, setting the stage for their record-breaking sale.

The Criminal and the Slippers’ Return

The story of the theft took years to unfold. Terry Jon Martin, a Minnesota man, was identified as the thief and indicted in 2023. He had no idea about the slippers’ significance in Hollywood history. Instead, he saw an opportunity to make money from their high insurance value, which was around $1 million.

Martin later expressed regret for his actions and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to one year of supervised release, avoiding jail time due to his poor health.

In 2018, the slippers were returned to the Judy Garland Museum, where they were greeted by Shaw, who described the reunion as deeply emotional. Shaw had collected The Wizard of Oz memorabilia for years and had lent the slippers to museums across the country, often for charitable purposes. After the slippers’ recovery, Shaw decided to put them up for auction, where they once again captured the attention of the world.

A Disappointing Loss for the Judy Garland Museum

As the slippers were auctioned off, the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, made an effort to raise funds to purchase them back and return them to the state. The museum hoped to put the slippers on display and give them a “Hollywood happy ending.”

However, despite their fundraising efforts, the museum was not the successful bidder. Though they didn’t win the shoes, the museum remains invested in their history and plans to continue sharing the slippers’ journey with their visitors.

With their sale, the ruby slippers have moved on to a new chapter in their storied history. While their new owner remains anonymous, the shoes will undoubtedly continue to captivate people around the world, just as they have since they first appeared on screen with Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

RELATED TOPICS: Film and Television | Celebs | History | Minnesota