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The shimmery shoes, among the most famous pairs of footwear ever, soared past the pre-auction estimate of $3 million within moments, and by the time the bidding war was complete, they had become the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction, according to Heritage Auctions which oversaw the dramatic sale in Dallas, Texas.
The final bid was $28 million, with taxes and fees pushing the cost to $32.5 million, Heritage Auctions said.
The entire haul for the Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction, which also featured the sale of the Wicked Witch’s black hat for $2.9 million, set a new record of $38.6 million for an entertainment auction.
But it was the sequin-covered pumps, one of four surviving ruby pairs worn in the 1939 cult classic, that stole the show in Texas, as expected.
“There is simply no comparison between Judy Garland’s Ruby Slippers and any other piece of Hollywood memorabilia,” Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement.
