Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, generated a remarkable $1.9 billion in total sales last year. Its inventory included an eclectic mix of sports, movies, entertainment memorabilia, and some big-hitting historical items.
Among the highlights of 2024 were Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which received a jaw-dropping $32.5 million bid, making it the most expensive piece of movie memorabilia ever sold at auction. The slippers, worn by Judy Garland in the beloved 1939 classic, broke previous auction record holders in the film industry by a huge margin, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Not far behind, Babe Ruth’s legendary 1932 World Series jersey, famously worn when he allegedly “called his shot” before hitting a home run, fetched $24.12 million, reported DX, setting a new big benchmark for sports memorabilia.
The auction house also made history earlier in the year with the sale of Action Comics No. 1, one of the Superman line’s debut comics, per DX. In total, Heritage’s entertainment sales category grew into a $102 million powerhouse, more than double the previous year’s sales, according to the company’s listings.
The October Game of Thrones auction, held in collaboration with the HBO network, achieved a staggering $21.1 million in sales alone, according to a report from ArtNet News. The auction, which featured over 4,500 items from the legendary show, attracted a wide global audience of bidders, cementing the growing popularity of film and pop culture memorabilia in the auction marketplace. One of the standout items in the sale was a Touring Iron Throne, which received a $1.49 million bid.
Heritage’s impressive 2024 sales also showed a mesh of entertainment, film, and history. In March, the company’s Treasures from Planet Hollywood auction raised $15.68 million, with one of the star lots being a wood panel from the Titanic, as previously covered by DX.
The piece, crafted from the original Titanic ship and used in the film, sold for $718,750 and sparked online debates over what could have happened if Rose let Jack on that door.