Heritage Auctions is returning to the yellow brick road just one year after conducting one of the most significant auctions in the history of entertainment memorabilia, headlined by the record-breaking $32.5 million sale of "The Wizard of Oz" Ruby Red Slippers.
Timed with the release of the second film in the "Wicked" series, the Wicked Witch's hat is poised to hit the auction block next month. One of a handful of surviving examples from the film, it is one of only two known to exist with its original chinstrap — both used in the film's flying scenes.
The other was sold during Heritage's 2024 auction for $2.93 million.
“Few treasures in Hollywood history are as instantly recognizable — or as powerfully evocative — as the Wicked Witch’s hat,” Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President of Heritage Auctions, said in a statement. “It represents not only one of the screen’s greatest villains, but also the craftsmanship, imagination and storytelling that made The Wizard of Oz a cornerstone of cinematic history.”
The example set to sell at Heritage has a starting bid of $100,000 ($125,000, including buyer's premium).
This piece was acquired in 1970 from David Weisz, the same auctioneer who conducted the MGM studio sale the same year.
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Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.