Hollywood hasn’t just served up some of the greatest films of all time, it’s also produced some of the most iconic film props ever, and most of them have fetched millions. Take Marilyn Monroe‘s white dress in The Seven Year Itch, Sam’s piano in Casablanca, and Julie Andrews‘ outfits in The Sound of Music… all iconic to the core. Yet, none are as classic and costly as Dorothy Gale’s (Judy Garland) Ruby Slippers from MGM’s 1939 musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz.
The pair of slippers made headlines in December 2024 when it sold at an auction for a whopping $32.5 million, making it the most expensive movie prop ever. Interestingly, another relic from the film, the Wicked Witch’s hat, worn by Almira Gulch (Margaret Hamilton), was auctioned for $2.93 million. The bottom line is that these props are just as monumental as the movie shot over eight decades ago.
The History of the Multimillion-dollar Ruby Slippers From ‘The Wizard of Oz’
The Wizard of Oz is one of the greatest and most-seen movies in Hollywood history. Besides a stellar storyline, it’s known for combining primary colors, red, green, and blue (Technicolor) to form a magical element that most fantasy films later adopted. Then there’s its unbelievably great musical score, Over the Rainbow, composed by Harold Arlen, which won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Beyond the music, the film’s themes of self-discovery and friendship still resonate with audiences, resulting in several adaptations.
Among its iconic elements, none holds more sway than the ruby slippers worn by Garland, who played Dorothy Gale. At first, the shoes were meant to be silver, but the studio needed something more eye-catching. So, script writer, Noel Langely, and wardrobe designer Gilbert Adrian conceptualized and created the red sequined shoes a year before the movie’s release in 1939. Three decades down the line, MGM auctioned its entire contents for $1.5 million. However, in 1970, the ruby slippers were discovered in the rubble from Kent Warner‘s auction and sold for $15,000 to an unknown buyer, who later donated them to the Smithsonian Institute.
Unknown to most people, the shoes have a second pair besides the one sold to the anonymous buyer. So, Kent Warner quietly sold the second mismatched pair to Michael Shaw, who held on to them for over three decades, even taking them on tours. However, they were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota in 2005. Thirteen years later, the FBI recovered the Ruby Slippers, and they were sold at a December 2024 auction for $32.5 million.
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What Makes the Ruby Slippers From ‘The Wizard of Oz’ So Expensive?
Considering it went for $32.5 million, it’s natural to wonder why a prop from a 1939 movie would be so pricey. Needless to say, the pair of ruby slippers has come a long way, so this financial feat wasn’t an overnight progression. Besides that, a few things came into play. Firstly, there’s the fact that the shoes are one of a kind and are a vital piece of Hollywood memorabilia.
Though they’re mismatched, only two pairs of Judy Garland’s Ruby Slippers currently exist. One is in the Smithsonian Institute, while the other was recently sold at an auction. With a limited number in circulation, there was suddenly a scarcity of a relic that stood the test for more than eight decades. It’s no surprise that it attracted rich collectors who were ready to offer crazy amounts of money in exchange for the pristine prop. Besides representing the Golden Age of Hollywood, the footwear is equally a powerful piece of pop culture, still referenced in music, literature, and TV.
As mentioned earlier, Dorothy’s shoes are not the only prop from The Wizard of Oz that piqued public interest. Remember Almira Gulch, AKA the Wicked Witch of the West, with her famous ‘Wicked Witch’s hat?’ Well, the hat was sold for $2.93 million at an auction in December 2024. Though the ruby slippers are way more expensive than the hat, it doesn’t downplay the influence and impact the latter had on pop culture and modern fashion trends. Needless to say, these props have earned their place in Hollywood history, and they are as significant as they are pricey.
Want to see the red ruby slippers in technicolor? Join Dorothy on the yellow brick road on Netflix.
