A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” sold at auction for $32.5 million, setting a record for the most valuable movie memorabilia sold at auction. These slippers are one of four surviving pairs from the 1939 film and were once stolen from a museum before being recovered by the FBI. The auction, conducted by Heritage Auctions, also saw the sale of the Wicked Witch’s hat from the movie for $2.9 million. The slippers were stolen in 2005 by Terry Jon Martin, who was inspired to commit the crime by a misconception about their value. Martin confessed to the crime in court documents in 2023 and was sentenced to time served in January due to poor health. Another associate involved in the crime will go to trial in January, with his attorney maintaining his innocence. Despite efforts by the Judy Garland Museum and Minnesota lawmakers to acquire the slippers at auction, they were ultimately not successful. The pair of slippers donated to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in 2012 by Steven Spielberg and Leonardo DiCaprio sold for $2 million. This auction broke records for entertainment auctions, totaling nearly $40 million in sales.
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