Movie buffs dream of owning bits and pieces of their favorite films. In small capacities, that is totally feasible. But, when you're seeking to purchase larger, more important pieces of cinematic history, the price tags just go higher and higher.
You won't believe what some of these famous movie props sold for at auction...
Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber
If you were a kid in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, or heck, even now, you probably know who Luke Skywalker is. If you know who Luke Skywalker is, then there's a really good chance that you remember what his telltale blue lightsaber looks like. Back when Star Wars was originally filmed, the team didn't have the budget to get a lightsaber custom made, so they scrapped one together using camera parts.
As Time Goes On
Over the course of the filming of the first Star Wars movie, the team went through three handmade lightsaber hilts. They all made it through the production process, and the first two got auctioned off in 2008 and 2017. They were bought for $240,000 and $450,000, respectively. The third was donated to Ripley's Believe it or Not!
Mailyn Monroe's White Dress
This dress is the most expensive movie costume that has ever been sold. This is the legendary moment that made Monroe the superstar that she became. Even though the movie "The Seven Year Itch" was never particularly popular, this one scene is one of the most legendary moments in Hollywood history.
Say Yes to the Dress
In 2011, Monroe's white dress went for $4.6 million to an actress named Debbie Reynolds. Reynolds, at the time, possessed the most valuable personal collection of movie props and costumes ever assembled.
Aries 1B Trans-Lunar Spherical Space Shuttle
Stanley Kubrick ordered that all of the miniatures from his film "2001: A Space Odyssey" be destroyed after the filming process so they couldn't be recycled by knock off directors. But, in 2015, this spherical shuttle was revealed to have survived the demolition process and was verified by Kubrick himself.
A Hidden Gem
For over 40 years, the model sat in the home of an art school teacher in Hertfordshire, England, the long time secret home base for Kubrick. The Aries 1B sold for $344,000 to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who are now displaying the model in a museum in Los Angeles.
Aragorn's Sword
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King came out in 2003. Since then, all of the Lord of the Rings weapons have fetched several pretty pennies. Aragorn's sword is, so far, the most expensive.
The Whole Lot Please
Frodo's sword "Sting" sold at an auction in 2013 for $161,000. One year later, Gandalf's wizard staff sold for $325,000. But, most importantly, Aragorn's sword "Anduril" sold for a stunning $437,000.
Robby the Robot
Robby the Robot was originally seen in a 1956 sci-fi movie titled "Forbidden Planet." This movie starred Walter Pidgeon, Leslie Nielsen (over 20 years before "The Naked Gun" was released), and Anne Francis. So, how much do you think this trashcan with knobs and legs sold for? We bet you didn't guess $5.3 million.
Bucket of Bolts
Forbidden Planet bred an entire generation of dedicated sci-fi nerds, many of which became extremely wealthy due to the time period of their birth (baby boomers). By the way, the $5.3 million didn't just cover the replica of Robby the Robot. The strange sculpture also came with its very own customized jeep vehicle, so there's that.
The Maltese Falcon
"The Maltese Falcon" is a movie that came out in 1941 made by Humphrey Bogart. The Maltese Falcon represented "the stuff that dreams are made of," but even something that abstract can fetch a surprisingly high price on the auction market.
That Much for a Bird?
There were two falcon statues that were made for the movie, but only one landed on screen. The only reason that the auctioneers knew that this falcon was the one that was on camera was the fact that the falcon's tail was scuffed, because Bogart's secretary dropped the falcon on his foot, smashing the tail and breaking two of his toes. This piece went for $4.1 million, for some wild reason.
Sam's Casablanca Piano
In one of the most famous movies of the 20th century, Casablanca, a character named Sam famously keyed and sang "As Time Goes By" on a small piano. This very piano sold for $3.4 million in 2014.
Not Just Any Piano
This 58 key upright piano was handpainted with Moroccan designs to fit the decor of the movie's main setting. For those who have seen Casablanca, the "letters of transit" that Rick hid inside of the piano sold separately for nearly $119,000.
James Bond's Aston Martin DB5
You might recognize this vehicle from "Goldfinger" or "Thunderball," two early and successful Bond films. This Aston Martin was the quintessential Bond vehicle, boasting shapeshifting capabilities, and housing numerous booby traps, such as smoke screens, deployable oil slicks, and electrified security measures. But, in real life, this is just a really cool car.
Wait, How Much Did it Go For?
There were two custom made Aston Martins that were prepared specifically for the Bond films. One of the cars was owned by a man in Florida, and in 1997, his car was stolen and never recovered. But, the second car was auctioned off in 2010 for $4.6 million. The auctioned car came with all of its movie-customized gadgets.
King Kong's Original Model
More than 72 years before the flashy 2005 remake of King Kong hit the theaters, the original 1933 version was still considered to be the best film in King Kong history. The famous monkey was merely just a 22-inch-tall sculpted replica of a gorilla that was covered in rabbit fur.
There's a Monkey in the Middle
Over the years, the rabbit fur slowly rotted away, leaving only the plastic and wire skeleton that held the outside of the giant gorilla in place. In 2009, the skeleton sold for roughly $200,000 to a collector.
Ghostbusters Proton Pack
Did you know that the proton packs that the ghostbusters carry around are actually nuclear accelerators that can feasibly destroy the entire Earth if ruptured? Well, fortunately, in real life, it's just a glorified backpack with a bunch of lights and hoses connected to it.
Fake Science is Expensive
The Proton Pack that was worn by Harold Ramis in both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II hit the Profiles in History auction house in 2012. The piece sold for $160,000 to a wealthy film nerd who, admittedly, wanted to pay such a large amount because he wanted to be a ghostbuster as well.
Dorothy's Ruby Slippers
Dorothy's ruby slippers are, quite frankly, the most memorable pair of shoes in Hollywood history. Yes, this includes the shoes that Lil' Bow Wow found and wore in "Like Mike." Currently, the original pair of ruby slippers resides in the Smithsonian Museum, and of the three pairs that exist, this pair is valued at roughly $1 million.
But Where's the Cash?
However, just because the shoes were valued at $1 million, that doesn't mean that they are supposed to sell at that amount. Of the three pairs that exist, only one sold. The third, and least used pair, sold for $666,000. The second pair went on the auction circuit for $2 million, minimum offer, but strangely enough, they never sold.
Audrey Hepburn's Ascot Dress
This dress first appeared in My Fair Lady, released in 1964. Although traditional horse race fashion typically showcases cheaper, shorter skirt cuts, when Hepburn showed up in this Edwardian-style white lace dress, the image got burned into the minds of moviegoers everywhere.
Who, What, and How
Hepburn's dress was designed by a costume designer named Cecil Beaton. Beaton won an Oscar for best costume design for this dress alone. Sadly, neither Beaton nor Hepburn lived long enough to see this dress get auctioned off for $3.7 million in 2014.
Alien Chestbuster
If you've seen Alien, then you probably know that the most memorable, and one of the most terrifying, scenes is when the infant xenomorph burst out of John Hurt's chest. Evidently, the entire cast got unbelievably freaked out by the occurrence. Even Veronica Cartwright, who was no stranger to acting in horror films, passed out from the imagery.
An Alien Should Be Worth More
Do you remember when the strangely stiff creature jumped out of John Hurt's chest and sprinted for the door? That model was actually just a plaster, plastic, and epoxy doll that Ridley Scott made himself. The figure in question sold for $43,000 in 2004, and it was bought by a British pop musician named Chris de Burgh.
Darth Vader's Helmet
Star Wars is one of the most important, and highest-grossing, film series in history. So, naturally, there was an absolute load of Star Wars superfans that were chomping at the bit to get their hands on this one of a kind piece.
Luke, That's a Lot of Money
The original auction had a cap of $400,000, but after the piece was sold, a private auction relocated the helmet for roughly $898,420. The owner of the helmet wants to remain anonymous.
Rick Deckard's Blaster Pistol
Don't freak out! This is merely a prop gun that was used in the movie Blade Runner. This prop was used by Harrison Ford, who played the bounty hunter Rick Deckard.
Deckard's Last Stand
Unbeknownst to Ford, the blaster pistol hit the auction circuit in 2009 and ended up selling for $270,000. When the cast of Blade Runner found out that the pistol had been sold for such a large number, they tried to get the organizations to donate some of that cash, of which they did not.
The 1969 Dodge Charger from Dukes of Hazzard
This car, also known as "General Lee," was one of the most important vehicles of the 1980s, specifically because of the movie Dukes of Hazzard. Nobody doubts that Dukes of Hazzard was a popular movie, but do you really think it should have been sold for so much?...
That Much for a Car?
Before General Lee got sold, it was owned by actor John Schneider. After the show got caught up in rightful controversy over the confederate flag that was painted on the roof, it got canceled and Schneider decided to sell the vehicle. In an auction, Schneider sold the whip for a whopping $9,900,500.
Breakfast at Tiffany's Working Script
When Audrey Hepburn died, the vast majority of her personal items went up for auction. In 2018, a ridiculous price tag was put on Audrey Hepburn's original working script for Breakfast at Tiffany's...
That's Outrageous
This script, complete with notes, write-ins, and bits of insider information, sold for $811,615. Along with the script, dresses, coats, and other bits of movie memorabilia like Hepburn's script for My Fair Lady were auctioned off as well.
Olivia Newton-John's Pants
If you haven't seen Grease, then you've probably been living under a rock. Olivia Newton-John pretty much solely popularized wearing skin-tight leather pants for fashion, not for necessity. But, when Spanx founder Sara Blakely found out that these pants were for sale, she just had to get them for herself...
All That for a Pair of Pants??
This is going to sound outrageous, but these simple leather pants sold for a jaw-dropping $162,000. When questioned about her outrageous purchase, Sara Blakely said: "I have been the biggest fan of Olivia since I was a little girl, since 'Grease' came out, and my friend called me two days before the auction. I didn't know it was happening … and I thought, 'Oh my God. I've got to try to get these.'"
Metropolis Movie Poster
So, only four Metropolis posters exist. This is actually one of the rarest, if not THE rarest movie poster in Hollywood history, and you won't believe how much it sold for...
Ralph, You Made an Interesting Decision
Ralph DeLuca, the owner of the New Jersey-based film memorabilia company named Movie Archives Inc, purchased this poster for an outrageous $690,000. What makes this even crazier is that he beat out three other bidders that were neck and neck in grabbing the piece of history.
Kate Winslet's Dress in Titanic
Test your Titanic memory here. What scene was Rose seen wearing this dress? Here's a hint, she only wore it once, and first impressions are very important...
You've Got to Be Kidding
Kate Winslet wore this dress during the scene when she first laid eyes on Jack. Because of its significance in the movie, this dress fetched a pretty penny when it hit the auction circuit. An anonymous collector purchased this dress for a wild $330,000 in 2012.
Andy Warhol's Silver Wig
Calling all Velvet Underground fans out there. How much do you think you would pay for this wig? Chances are, you wouldn't be as comfortable paying as much as one person did...
Passing from Hand to Hand
After Warhol died, his nephew, Jeffery Warhol, was placed in charge of managing his estate. So, as any broke, smart young person would do, he brought a ton of Warhol's objects to auction. One anonymous individual paid $10,800 for Warhol's signature silver wig, which he paid 50 cents for back in 1989.
Batman Returns Batsuit
Believe it or not, this piece beat out a Superman costume from the original 1978 movie because it wasn't able to reach the minimum $40,000 bid. You won't believe how much someone paid for this Batman costume...
Holy Toledo Batman!
Well, maybe you could believe it if you have a ton of money just sitting around. This Batman costume ran the lucky (?) investor around $41,250 at a 2017 auction.
Indiana Jones' Bullwhip
Harrison Ford has always been against the outrageous sales of movie memorabilia that he personally held onto. But, unfortunately, some people look to make a profit anywhere, especially when pieces like this are estimated at extremely low prices...
Take That and Multiply It by Seven
Indie's famous whip was originally appraised at $5,000, but in an auction, this piece went for $35,460, and that doesn't even include taxes and fees.
Michael Jordan's Personal Shoes
When Michael Jordan decided to auction off a pair of A1's that he personally wore on the court, and signed, he had no idea how much cash he would get out of them. Chances are, he had no idea it would be this much...
Oh Lord, for a Pair of Shoes??
These shoes went for $560,000 in an auction just a few months ago. Guinness World records recently announced that these were, by far, the most expensive shoes to ever be purchased.
Michael Jackson's Jacket
The Kardashians have an outrageous amount of wealth. Some say that it's far too much for a single family to have. Although others argue against that, it's hard to justify spending this much money on a jacket that was worn once by Michael Jackson...
Best Christmas Ever
Kim Kardashian decided to make her daughter, North's Christmas dreams come true this year. So, she spent $65,625 on this velvet jacket that Michael Jackson wore to Elizabeth Taylor's birthday party in 1997. Merry Christmas!
Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal Hat
In one fell swoop, Kim Kardashian scooped up this hat and two rings that Elvis wore as a gift for her brother. Michael Jackson's famous Smooth Criminal outfit wouldn't have been complete if it weren't for this hat, and the pricetag proves it...
It Doesn't Stop at Just the Jacket...
Kim paid $56,250 for this legendary fedora. She later remarked on her Instagram story that the hat still had Michael's stage makeup inside the brim.
Princess Diana's Dress
When John Travolta and Princess Diana were photographed cutting a rug at the White House in 1995, the pictures were seen around the world. These photos helped Travolta spring into a successful career, and Princess Diana's black dress later sold for an unbelievably amount of money...
They Said Yes to the Dress
After the dress didn't pass through the first day of auctions, it was scooped up by an independent contractor for the Historic Royal Palaces foundation. They paid $347,000 for this garb, and it went straight into a museum full of royal items.
Serena Williams' Broken Racket
When Serena Williams let her emotions show over a bad (really bad) call by an umpire in the 2018 US Open final, she smashed her racket. Williams later lost the match, due to the bad call, but her racket entered the auction circuit, and it fetched a hefty price...
Letting It All Out
This racket was originally valued at $25,000 to $50,000, but after a series of unsuccessful bids, the racket went for $20,910. Still, that's a huge amount of money for a broken piece of plastic.
Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" Dress
Monroe was one of the first Hollywood icons to make it a point to be the most noticeable person in the room. With this dress, she most certainly stood out. This dress was covered in 2,500 rhinestones, and it sold for way more than it probably should have...
Stitch Me In Please
This dress was so form-fitting that Monroe had to be stitched into it the night of JFK's birthday party. Additionally, when sold, this dress went for $1,267,500. That number seems made up, but people were really nickel-and-diming one another at the auction.
Joan Rivers' Silver Dog Bowl
Joan Rivers owned a teacup Yorkie named "Spike" that passed away long before she did. This bowl just sat in her estate until it was reclaimed for an auction, and it went for a stupid amount of money...
You've Got to be Kidding
Spike's bowl went for $13,750 at a Christie's auction in 2016. That's roughly six times the worth of the silver it was plated with.
Michael Jackson's Crystal Glove
One of Michael Jackson's signature looks was his one bedazzled glove. But, when he passed, a businessman from Hong Kong threw a number at the owners of Jackson's estate that they just couldn't refuse...
That's a Handful of Cash
Businessman Hoffman Ma. of Hong Kong, China offered $350,000 for this glove pretty much immediately after the man died. After several months of waiting, the auctioneers couldn't find anyone that wanted to bump up that price, so the glove went to the man who wanted it the most.
Elizabeth Taylor's Jewelry Collection
We're not just talking about the pieces that are in this picture. Although, the focal point was the most expensive of the collection, selling for $11.8 million, including taxes and fees. Altogether, this collection went for much, much more...
Dollars for Diamonds
All in all, this jewelry collection sold for roughly $116 million. This included a pearl that was formerly owned by Marie Antionette, which sold for $36 million, the most a pearl has ever been sold for.
A Single Lock of Elvis' Hair
Yes, you read that right. One single lock of Elvis Presley's hair sold for $15,000 in 2009. That doesn't include the additional $3,300 in auction house fees. Imagine having so much money that you're willing to pay nearly $20,000 for some dead guy's hair.