The legendary ruby shoes that Judy Garland wore in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ They have marked a milestone in the history of cinema and collecting. With a final price of 32.5 million dollarsthese sneakers, a symbol of the magic of the seventh art, became the most expensive piece of film memorabilia ever sold at auction, far surpassing their initial estimate of 3 million.
The sale started with 1.55 million. Shortly after, started a war in which, in just minutes, the shoes were climbing numbers astronomical, as if they were recreating the walk along the path of yellow tiles. When they reached their final price, the auction room erupted in applause, according to Heritage Auctions.
Beyond their brilliance, the shoes have become an emblem of the golden age of hollywood. Designed by Gilbert Adrian, head of costumes at MGM Studios, they represent a key moment in the transition from film to Technicolor spectacle. Changed from the original silver of L. Frank Baum’s book to a striking red, the sneakers not only became a visual icon, but also the object that guided Dorothy (and the public) along the magical yellow road to Oz.
They are known to have survived production at least four pairsbut it is the one that has just been auctioned that has a so fascinating past like the movie they helped immortalize. Was stolen in 2005 of the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota, plunging collectors and authorities into a mystery that lasted 13 years.
In 2018, after a covert operation of the FBI In Minneapolis, the slippers were recovered and authenticated thanks to a forensic analysis that identified them as those used in several iconic scenes in the film, including the moment when Dorothy clicks her heels to return to Kansas. Their authenticity was also confirmed by comparing them with the pair that millions of people visit in the Smithsonian museum and of which these shoes are a “cross twin”, with exact matches in the manufacturing numbers.
The sneakers were returned earlier this year to their rightful owner, Michael Shaw. Terry Martin and Jerry Hal Salitermanboth of more than 70 yearswere separately charged with the robbery. Martin declared guilty in 2023, and confessed that he had stolen the shoes because he wanted to take ‘one last hit’. Saliterman, who was charged in 2024, maintains his innocence.
The shoes shortly before being auctioned
Other pairs used in the film have been auctioned before, but none sold for such a high sum. In 2000, one was auctioned for $666,000, according to the release. Twelve years later, Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio bought it for two million dollars to donate it to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Museum in Los Angeles.
The auction, held by Heritage Auctions, not only established the ruby slippers as the “Holy Grail” of film memorabilia, but also broke other historical records. In addition to the slippers, the collection included other objects from ‘The Wizard of Oz’, such as the black hat of the Wicked Witch of the Westsold for 2.9 million, and other items related to Garland.
With this record, The Ruby Shoes not only cements its status as a gem of cinema history, but also reaffirms the cultural and emotional value of cinematic art. Beyond the numbers, these sneakers remain a powerful symbol of hope, nostalgia and the magic of cinema.
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