The Wizard of Oz slippers sold for a record $28 million

A pair of ruby ​​slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” sold for a record $28 million at auction on Saturday.

The final price for the iconic red shoes, stolen by a retired crowd two decades ago, far exceeded Heritage Auctions’ estimate of $3 million, according to a press release.

Including the Dallas-based auction house’s fee, an unnamed buyer will pay a staggering $32.5 million for the slippers.

“There is no comparison between Judy Garland’s Ruby Slippers and any other piece of Hollywood memorabilia,” Heritage Auctions Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement.

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“The amazing result shows how important movies and movie memorabilia are to our culture and to collectors,” continued Maddalena. “It was an honor for all of us at Heritage to be a part of the slippers’ journey over the rainbow and to a new home.”

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Before the live auction on Saturday afternoon, online bids, which opened last month, reached $1.55 million. According to a press release, bidding on the slippers surpassed their pre-auction mark within seconds and they sold out minutes later.

According to the Associated Press, the auctioneer told buyers and spectators in the room and online observers that the previous record for a souvenir was $5.52 million.

That item was the white dress Marilyn Monroe famously wore while standing on a subway grate in the 1955 film “The Seven-Year Itch.”

The shoes were stolen by a retired mobster in 2005 and recovered by the FBI in 2018. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auction/Fox News)

The slippers, decorated with sequins and glass beads, were on display at the Judy Garland Museum in the legendary actress’ hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 2005 when retired mobster Terry Martin used a sledgehammer to smash the museum’s glass door again. display box.

Martin indulged in an attempt to score “end points” when he stole the brand’s shoes, his attorney wrote in court documents previously obtained by Fox News Digital. It is alleged that he was contacted by an “old friend of the crowd” who asked Martin if he would steal the slippers worn by Garland, who played Dorothy Hale, in the 1939 film classic.

“At first, Terry turned down the invitation to participate in the seizure. But old habits die hard, and the thought of the ‘end result’ kept him up at night,” wrote Dane DeKrey. “After careful consideration, Terry has once again turned back to crime and decided to participate in crime.”

When Martin stole the slippers he thought the beads that decorated the shoes were real rubies. However, Martin was later told that they were made of glass.

“Unaware of the cultural significance and value of the slippers themselves, Terry became upset and decided to simply cut his losses and move on,” according to DeKrey. “He gave these slippers to his colleague who wanted him for this job and told the man that he didn’t want to see them anymore.

Heritage Auctions announced that the sale surpassed the previous record for a piece of memorabilia. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auction/Fox News)

At the time of the theft, the slippers were insured for $1 million, and the fair market value of the slippers in May 2023 was $3.5 million, the Department of Justice said in a press release.

“The ruby ​​slippers, recovered by the FBI and the Grand Rapids Police Department in July 2018, are one of only four remaining pairs and are widely viewed as one of the most iconic pieces of memorabilia in American film history,” the press release said.

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Martin had the slippers for less than 48 hours before giving them to the unnamed friend, according to the report.

When Martin was sentenced in January, the the reformed mobster was not given jail time time after prosecutors recommended time served because of his deteriorating health. At the time, Martin was confined to the house after doctors estimated he had six months to live.

In March, a second suspect was charged with stealing the slippers, according to the court. Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Crystal, Minnesota, was charged with grand theft and witness tampering.

Saliterman’s trial is scheduled to begin in January. He has not entered a plea, although his lawyer has said he is not guilty.

The slippers were returned to their owner, Michael Shaw, last March. (Screenshot Archives / Getty Images / Getty Images)

The slippers were returned to collector Michael Shaw at Garland’s home in March. Hollywood businessman Kent Warner had given the shoes to Shaw, who loaned them to the museum.

After Shaw enlisted Heritage Auctions to sell the ruby ​​red slippers, the auction took the shoes on an international tour with stops in Los Angeles, New York, London and Tokyo.

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The auction also featured other memorabilia from “The Wizard of Oz,” including a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton, who played the original Wicked Witch of the West. The hat sold for $2.4 million, or a total final cost to the buyer of $2.93 million.

Interest in “The Wizard of Oz” has surged in recent weeks after the release of the musical film “Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. The film, based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, is on track to cross the $300 million mark at the domestic box office this weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Lauryn Overhultz of Fox News Digital and The Associated Press contributed to this report.