A pair of iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ sold for a record-breaking $28 million at an auction in Minneapolis. The shoes were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 and remained missing until their recovery in 2018.
Terry Jon Martin, now 77, was indicted in May 2023 for his role in the theft. He claimed that the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify an insured value of $1 million, but later learned they were glass. The shoes were returned to the museum after Martin pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served due to poor health.
The shoes were one of several pairs worn by Garland during filming, but only four are known to have survived. The sale more than tripled their initial estimated value of $3 million. The buyer’s total cost including fees will be $32.5 million.
The sale comes as the story of ‘Wicked’ gains new attention with its release, reimagining the character of the Wicked Witch of the West. Other memorabilia from the film, such as a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton, went for $2.4 million.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-auction-6d5ccf8af71e1d7941d6f01ae4653b76