Dorothy’s Wizard of Oz ruby slippers sell for record-breaking $28m at auction

Shoes worn by Judy Garland were estimated to fetch $3m, but bidding far outpaced that amount within seconds

A pair of iconic ruby slippers that were worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz and stolen from a museum nearly two decades ago sold for a winning bid of $28m at auction Saturday.

Heritage Auctions had estimated that they would fetch $3m or more, but the fast-paced bidding far outpaced that amount within seconds and tripled it within minutes. A few bidders making offers by phone volleyed back and forth for 15 minutes as the price climbed to the final, eye-popping sum.