Recently at auction, a pair of iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” and stolen from a museum nearly two decades ago were sold for a winning bid of $28 million.
The estimated value was surpassed within seconds of bidding, reaching $3 million and tripling to $28 million in just minutes. After including the auction house’s fee, the final price paid by the anonymous buyer was $32.5 million.
The sparkling red heels were stolen in 2005 by Terry Jon Martin, who broke into the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The FBI recovered the shoes in 2018, and Martin was later indicted and pleaded guilty in 2023.
Martin’s attorney explained that Martin believed the shoes were adorned with real jewels, but they were actually just glass. He disposed of the slippers after learning the truth.
MGM Studios via Getty Images
The alleged fence, Jerry Hal Saliterman, was also indicted in connection to the theft. He is set to go on trial in January and has not entered a plea.
After being returned to memorabilia collector Michael Shaw in February, the ruby slippers were auctioned off, fetching a record-breaking $28 million.
Other items from “The Wizard of Oz” were also auctioned, including a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton, the original Wicked Witch of the West, which sold for $2.4 million.
The sale of the ruby slippers set a new record for entertainment memorabilia at auction, surpassing the previous record held by Marilyn Monroe’s white dress.
With the recent release of the movie “Wicked,” a reimagining of the Wicked Witch of the West character, “The Wizard of Oz” story has once again captured the public’s interest.
This rewritten article was contributed by a writer based in Des Moines, Iowa.
