“Wizard of Oz” Ruby Slippers Auctioned for $28 Million

The Ruby Slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz” were auctioned for $28 million. Robert Wilonsky, Vice President of Communications at Heritage Auctions, announced that the slippers were sold for $32.5 million including the buyer's premium. The original estimate was $3 million, but within days, bids reached $1.55 million with over 800 potential buyers tracking the shoes. The Ruby Slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” were offered for auction nearly two decades after a thief stole the iconic shoes. The shoes were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in 2005, where they had been on loan from private collector Michael Shaw. After a 13-year search, the FBI was able to recover the slippers in 2018 thanks to a tip and an undercover operation. The thief, Terry Martin, believed the slippers contained real rubies. Martin was later charged but is currently on probation due to an incurable illness.