**The Incredible Journey of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers After The Wizard of Oz**

Dorothy’s ruby slippers from *The Wizard of Oz* are more than just movie props — they are some of the most famous pieces of Hollywood history. Created for the 1939 classic film, the slippers were originally supposed to be silver in L. Frank Baum’s books, but MGM changed them to ruby red to take advantage of Technicolor. Several pairs were made for Judy Garland during filming, with only a few known surviving today.

After the movie became a worldwide sensation, the slippers disappeared into storage for decades. In 1970, costume designer Kent Warner rediscovered several pairs while preparing for an MGM auction. Instead of destroying the extra pairs as he was instructed, he saved them, allowing these legendary shoes to survive. Over the years, different pairs ended up in museums, private collections, and Hollywood archives, becoming priceless pieces of cinematic history.

One of the most famous pairs had an even more dramatic story. After being displayed at the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota, the slippers were stolen in 2005 when thieves broke into the display case. For 13 years, their location remained a mystery until the FBI recovered them in 2018. The stolen slippers were later connected to a man who believed they might contain real rubies, although the shoes were actually covered with thousands of red sequins.

In 2024, the recovered ruby slippers made headlines again when they were sold at auction for an astonishing $28 million to an anonymous buyer — making them one of the most valuable pieces of movie memorabilia ever sold. From a Hollywood costume department to theft, recovery, and record-breaking fame, Dorothy’s ruby slippers have traveled an extraordinary journey of their own, proving that some movie treasures truly never lose their magic.