Get ready for a magical moment! Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz have just sold for a jaw-dropping $32.5 million, making them the most expensive piece of movie memorabilia ever.
These legendary shoes now hold a fortune, with a story as captivating as the film itself.
One of only four remaining pairs from the 1939 classic, the slippers were auctioned at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, far exceeding their estimated $3 million value.
The slippers have a wild history. Stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005, they were recovered by the FBI in 2018 following a sting operation.
The thief, Terry Jon Martin, originally believed the shoes contained rubies, only to discover they were actually made of glass. Martin, who was in his 70s, confessed to the theft and served time. “There’s some closure now,” said museum curator John Kelsch, though he still wonders what happened to the slippers after they were stolen.
This sale comes as The Wizard of Oz experiences a resurgence, fueled by the Wicked prequel. Judy Garland, just 16 when she played Dorothy, has cemented her status as a Hollywood legend.
The film itself is considered one of the greatest of all time, ranking second in Variety’s “100 Greatest Movies of All Time.”
In the 1939 classic, the red slippers—originally silver in the book—symbolize Dorothy’s journey and her unforgettable line, “There’s no place like home.” Today, they are a priceless treasure of American cinematic history.