expensive movie props sold

29+ Expensive Movie Collectibles, Ranked

Entertainment

| LAST UPDATE 02/09/2022

By Riley Hammond

While most of us don't get to meet our favorite stars in person, their famous movie props have us equally as starstruck. From Dorothy's red slippers to Darth Vader's lightsaber, here's how much film's most iconic memorabilia costs.

30. Han Solo Carbonite: Return of the Jedi (1983)

For years, fans of Star Wars have been able to get closer to their favorite sci-fi galaxy through things like merch and tees. These items typically don't cost too much and are probably quite common among fans of the series.

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MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images

But how cool would it be if they actually got to own a life-size figure of Hans Solo frozen in carbonite? Apparently, it's actually a thing! Diehard Star Wars fans can own the replica for just $7,500 - according to Mental Floss. We must admit this sounds pretty cool.

29. Hoverboard: Back to the Future Part II (1989)

In 1989, Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis came back with a second installment - not only featuring the story's unfolding of events but also of the many props they called for. This time, we're talking about Marty's hoverboard, the one he famously steals from two girls while trying to outrun Biff!

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Victoria Jones - PA Images / Contributor via Getty Images

The famous hoverboard used by Michael J. Fox during the film was sold in 2018 for $28,800, as several sources revealed. And while a better transportation investment for a price like that would probably be an actual car, in this case, we're pretty sure the consumer knew what they were doing!

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28. Everlasting Gobstopper: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Gene Wilder's portrayal of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory made us never forget the character's eccentric personality. However, perhaps just as memorable was the factory owner's invention: the candy called the "Everlasting Gobstopper." Well, it's one of the most highly desired props from Warner Bros. movies!

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YouTube via Warner Bros. Entertainment

Only one of these candy props from the movie remains. The first was sold at a price of $42,000 at an auction in May 2011, as Collider noted. The second one was actually kept by the actress who played Veruca Salt, one of the spoiled children who won Golden Tickets to the Wonka's factory. It later sold for $40,000.

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27. Hypersleep Chamber: Aliens (1986)

Those who remember when Ellen got through her encounter with the Alien Queen herself undoubtedly also recall the hypersleep chamber she put herself and young Newt in afterward. As one'll see, this is just the first of the props used by the heroine in the science fiction horror film that's popular among fans.

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YouTube via JoBlo Movie Clips

Because of Sigourney Weaver's memorable scenes playing the role of Ellen Ripley, the hypersleep chamber has also become a desired collectible from the movie. The chamber itself, a prop that was used in the movie production, sold for $65,000 at an auction in 2012 - according to several sources!

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26. Brainwave Analyzer: Back to the Future (1985)

Another prop from the 1985 American science fiction movie that made its way into the hands of a fan was the Flux Capacitor. It was created by Doc with whatever material he could find in his house, but the invention ultimately failed to read Marty's mind.

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Amblin Entertainment Universal Pictures / Kobal via Shutterstock

However, it did win the hearts of fans who were obsessed with props from the classic adventure movie! According to Collider, the brain-wave analyzer was sold to a fan for $70,000 in 2012. And although the machine won't provide the service it was originally intended to, we don't think it's such a bad investment altogether.

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25. Purple Coat: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Few people don't have the memory of the eccentric Willy Wonka, and his famous Oompa Loompas engraved in their minds forever. Gene Wilder, who played the peculiar character, made sure to never let us forget his personality, which fans found to wonderfully match the purple suit he wore!

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Wolper Warner Bros. / Kobal via Shutterstock

Although it's no Ralph Lauren suit, the Willy Wonka's costume ranks relatively high on the list of collectible prices. In 2012, one fan won the lucky "Golden Ticket" and was able to acquire the purple suit coat with the frilled shirt. The costume ended up selling for $73,800, as Collider revealed.

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24. Velociraptor: Jurassic Park (1993)

Jurassic Park: the sci-fi movie most people immediately think of whenever they hear the word "dinosaurs." The film brought us closer to imaging the world in which dinosaurs existed. And although they used a lot of computer-generated imagery, production still had to use some of their own props on set.

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Michael Tullberg / Contributor via Getty Images

One of the most popular figures they developed using Stan Winston’s special effects shop was the Velociraptor. It appeared in the first Jurassic Park film, and since then has become the symbol of the movie. According to Collider, its paddock was sold for $77,000 at an auction in 2009.

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23. Superman Suit: Superman: The Movie (1978)

Fans of the Superman series have seen the hero played by three different actors, dressed in different suits over the years. However, there was one suit that remained the most popular among fans of the epic superhero film series: Christopher Reeve's original.

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ROBYN BECK / Contributor via Getty Images

As several sources revealed, the blue suit with the red "S" on its front, first worn in the 1978 Superman: The Movie, was sold in 2007 for $115,000! It's arguably a rather low price for the notable costume, but it's safe to say that the purchase didn't include Reeve's flight powers and heat vision.

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22. Darth Vader's Lightsaber: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The weapons used in the Star Wars movies were probably the most popular collectibles among fans in the world of science fiction. So we're probably not too surprised to see Darth Vader's lightsaber on this list. The character, voiced by James Earl Jones, first wielded the lightsaber with the red blade in The Empire Strikes Back.

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Ian West - PA Images / Contributor via Getty Images

Although any part of Darth Vader's armor used in the movies would probably instantly become any fan's prized possession, we must admit whoever could afford the lightsaber had luck on their side. The prop was acquired for a total price of $118,000 in 2005, according to Collider.

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21. Space Suit: Alien (1979)

The iconic look of Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's 1979 hit, Alien, is an unforgettable one among the fans of the science fiction heroine. Although all the action seems to happen while Ripley isn't wearing the suit, it apparently still remains a popular prop from the movie!

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Hulton Archive / Stringer via Getty Images

Although the movie's art director, Roger Christian, used scrap metal and tiny parts for props in order to save money (a technique he also used in Star Wars), the spacesuit is worth a lot today. The large, white suit from the first Alien film was sold to a lucky fan at an auction for $204,800, according to several outlets.

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20. Charlie Chaplin’s Cane: Modern Times (1936)

The legendary Charlie Chaplin: a worldwide icon of silent cinema, famous for his portrayal of his TV character, the Tramp. Not much less famous was the character's unique outfit, which included the cane that the Tramp carried with him wherever he went.

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Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images

It's not hard to believe that acquiring a collectible like that would probably empty the average person's bank account - but one major fan didn't seem to mind the price! Chaplin's cane was one of the items up for grabs at an auction in 2013 and was sold for $350,000, according to Collider.

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19. Indiana Jones' Hat: Indiana Jones

We don't think we've ever seen Dr. Jones head out on one of his adventures without his signature headwear! The hat was an essential part of the character's look in all four films in the popular franchise, and Harrison Ford always made sure to have it on for the fans in every scene.

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Paramount Pictures / Handout via Getty Images

One of the hats that was used in the first movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was sold for $424,000 at an auction in 2018 - as several sources noted. Diehard fans also recognize the adventurer's whip, gun holster, leather jacket, and his Sankara stones from Temple of Doom.

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18. Lightsaber: Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

Arguably one of the most iconic weapons in the Star Wars series is Luke Skywalker’s green lightsaber, which first appeared in Return of the Jedi. From that point on, it underwent countless battles and missions and apparently ended up in the hands of one very lucky fan.

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MARK RALSTON / Contributor via Getty Images

As Collider revealed, the sword prop was acquired in 2018 by a Star Wars fan for a good $450,000. The price was shocking to many, since the prop actually consisted of an old camera tube and a wooden pole. With the effects added later, it would only then become the laser weapon the series' fans know so well. 

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17. Dorothy's Dress: The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Ah, the magical land of Oz - brought to life by its many enchanted creatures, the colorful settings, and, of course, its memorable costumes! One of these outfits would be Dorothy's iconic blue dress. We'll just have to add this one to the growing list of memorabilia that The Wizard of Oz has to offer its devoted fans.

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FREDERIC J. BROWN / Contributor via Getty Images

The famous dress, worn by Judy Garland in the movie, was sold to an anonymous fan in 2012 for nearly half a million dollars - according to Today. Although we don't know where the dress currently is, it's safe to say whoever was lucky enough to buy it must be satisfied with their $480,000 purchase.

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16. DeLorean DMC 12: Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future: where fans of science fiction had the opportunity to see what it would be like to escape the confines of time. It was all thanks to one very special prop that was used on the set - the DeLorean DMC 12 itself. Six cars were designed for the film, and one is now under the possession of a lucky fan.

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Xinhua News Agency / Contributor via Getty Images

The original car made its way safely to Universal Studios Hollywood, where it's currently been put on display. However, the third of the six vehicles was sold at an auction for $541,000 - as Collider noted. Some of the proceeds from the purchase went to Michael J. Fox's Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

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15. Han Solo's Flight Vest: The Empire Strikes Back

To many kids in the 1980s who were obsessed with the Star Wars movies, the flight vest worn by Harrison Ford while he portrayed Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back became quite a popular style of clothing. And one lucky fan was even able to add it to their own personal wardrobe at home!

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Sunset Boulevard / Contributor via Getty Images

The jacket was sold via live stream in the U.K. and was initially thought to sell at a value of $650,000. However, to the surprise of many fans and auctioneers, the jacket was sold for only $596,109, according to Collider. Still not a cheap price to pay for a jacket, if ya ask us!

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14. Red Ruby Slippers: The Wizard of Oz

Of course, we can't put Dorothy's blue dress on our list of collectibles without also including the iconic red slippers that went with it! The sequined shoes, worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie, gave fans one more collectible to dream of acquiring.

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Andy Kropa / Contributor via Getty Images

Of the many pairs used in the production of the movie, only four are known to remain. The last pair that was reported to have sold to a fan was auctioned off for $666,000 in 2000, as CNBC noted. One other pair is on display at the Smithsonian Institution, and a third was stolen from The Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota.

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13. Black Dress: Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

One of the more iconic pieces of fashion to ever make it to movie sets is the legendary black dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The 1961 movie, directed by Blake Edwards, remains a classic even today. Undoubtedly, its themes of New York fashion had a little something to do with it.

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Silver Screen Collection / Contributor via Getty Images

The famous black dress, designed by the equally famous Hubert de Givenchy, was up for auction in London and was expected to sell for approximately $138,000. But, to the surprise of auctioneers and the attendees, the dress actually sold for more than $800,000, as Today reported!

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12. Flying Car: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

When it comes to collectibles from their favorite movies, fans apparently either go big or go home. The next prop on this list is yet another famous vehicle from Hollywood's special garage. We're talking about the flying car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

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Future Publishing / Contributor via Getty Images

The well-known car from Ken Hughes' 1968 British musical sold at an auction for a total of $805,000, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Although it may seem like a rather high price for the collectible, it was actually initially estimated to be worth around $1-2 million.

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11. Racing Suit: Le Mans (1971)

Perhaps a dream of every car enthusiast who's seen the 1971 movie Le Mans, starring Steve McQueen, was to own Michael Delaney's race-car driving suit. And although only one of the three suits used in the movies remains, there was one lucky fan who managed to get his hands on it!

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TIMOTHY A. CLARY / Contributor via Getty Images

In 2011, twelve-year-old fan Timothy Davies from the U.K. was the lucky winner of the suit thanks to a competition in his local newspaper. But it's hard to imagine it was easy to obtain it, since the suit sold for a whopping $984,000, as Collider revealed. If that's not devotion, then what is?

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10. Lotus Submarine Car: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

It can be expected that James Bond's famous cars have made it this high up on our list of collectibles. One of his most notable vehicles is the white Lotus from the 1977 movie, The Spy Who Loved Me. The famous car from this installment of the James Bond series also made its way to the front yard of a fan!

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Sion Touhig / Contributor via Getty Images

The car's submarine powers, which served the MI6 member on his underwater missions, are bound to be worth a fortune. If there's one person who could afford the car, it's definitely the one who ended up buying it at a London auction for $989,000 - Tesla CEO Elon Musk, as he himself proudly revealed.

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9. White Suit: Saturday Night Fever (1977)

John Travolta's legendary performance from Saturday Night Fever earned him the description of a "peacock on amphetamines" by critic Gene Siskel. The 1977 dance drama movie was considered "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress.

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Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images

It's no wonder, then, that fans of the movie wish they could have the iconic white suit which gave Travolta's character, Tony, his iconic disco king look. One lucky fan had their dream come true when they purchased the suit for $1.2 million in 2017, as BBC reported.

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8. ‘Do-Re-Mi’ Costumes: The Sound of Music (1965)

Fans of the 1965 classic probably remember the moment Maria decided to create clothes for the Von Trapp children out of the drapes that hung in her bedroom. A rather bold move on her part, as the Captain certainly didn't approve of his children running around in cheaper garments.

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20 Century Fox / Kobal via Shutterstock

Be that as it may, the eight dresses - worn by Andrews and the seven children -were sold at a value of $1.3 million to an anonymous bidder at an auction in 2013, according to The Times. Try to imagine the look on the Captain's face if he were ever told about that!

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7. Cowardly Lion Costume: The Wizard of Oz (1939)

We've previously mentioned the several costumes fans enjoyed seeing in The Wizard of Oz that made the fantasy world seem all the more real. One of the outfits we can hardly ever forget is the cowardly lion costume, which Bert Lahr wore in the 1939 movie.

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DON EMMERT / Staff via Getty Images

The designers of the costume really insisted on making it as authentic as can be, using real lion hide for its furry texture. Because of this, the costume ended up weighing sixty pounds! It was sold for - wait for it - $3 million at an auction in New York, according to Collider.

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6. Piano: Casablanca (1942)

It comes as no surprise that the instrument in which Humphrey Bogart hid the letters of transit would be so high up on this list. The piano Sam pretends to play in Rick's Café Américain was one of the two pianos in the movie that were later sold to fans.

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DON EMMERT / Staff via Getty Images

The first piano, which appeared in the Paris flashback sequences, was sold to an anonymous bidder for over $600,000 in 2012. Two years later, the piano that hid Sam's only possible escape from Morocco was put up for auction and sold for an astounding $3.4 million, as NPR reported.

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5. Hat and Dress: My Fair Lady (1964)

Audrey Hepburn did quite a job in Hollywood over the years, promoting the apparel of the various characters she portrayed during her acting career. First, it was the iconic black dress she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. And this time it's an outfit we'd say is equally famous: Her dress and hat from My Fair Lady!

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Archive Photos / Stringer via Getty Images

The outfit worn by the actress in the 1964 comedy-drama instantly became popular among the movie's audience. Nevertheless, jaws dropped everywhere when the dress and hat were sold in 2011 for $3.7 million, as Collider noted. The famous costume designer, Cecil Beaton, actually won an Oscar for the dress.

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4. Lead Falcon: Maltese Falcon (1941)

Can one think of a movie collectible more magnificent to have in their possession than a lead falcon from the 1941 crime drama Maltese Falcon? For those who are fans of the film noir, we can take a chance in saying it would probably be a dream come true!

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Noam Galai / Contributor via Getty Images

Three of the movie's statuettes still exist and are valued at around $1 million each, listing them as some of the most expensive movie props ever created. This is why it was rather jaw-dropping when one of the falcons, weighing 45 pounds, sold for over $4.1 million at an auction in 2013, according to Reuters!

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3. Aston Martin DB5: Goldfinger (1964)

The silver Aston Martin DB5 rose to fame when it debuted in the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger. When it first featured in the movie series, the luxury grand tourer was dubbed "the most famous car in the world," and sales of the model rose significantly.

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Sjoerd van der Wal / Contributor via Getty Images

A manufacturing company began selling small toys of the car, which became the biggest selling toy of 1964. Two DB5s were built for the production of Goldfinger; one had gadgets - machine-gun tail lights and revolving license plates - and the other didn't. According to Collider, one of the two cars was sold in 2010 for $4.6 million!

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2. Robby the Robot: Forbidden Planet (1956)

After appearing in Forbidden Planet in 1956, Robby the Robot became a science fiction icon and one of the most popular robots in movie history. The movie, starring Leslie Nielsen, earned $1,530,000 in the U.S. and Canada, and was later nominated for an Oscar.

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John Springer Collection / Contributor via Getty Images

As NPR noted, the robot was sold in 2017 for a whopping $5.3 million. We're not sure who the lucky buyer was, since he remained anonymous, but the prop definitely cost him a fortune. Robby was also sold with the jeep he drove, as well as his original MGM packing crates.

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1. White Dress: The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Perhaps the most famous image that remains with us today of Marilyn Monroe is one from her scene in The Seven Year Itch. The creamy-white cocktail dress with the plunging neckline and pleated skirt, blown up by the wind blowing from the subway grate? Unforgettable.

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Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images

Originally designed by William Travilla, the dress was taken to a private collection of Hollywood memorabilia owned by actress Debbie Reynolds following Travilla's death. Although Reynolds estimated it could be sold for around $1-2 million, it was actually sold for more than $5.6 million, as MTV reported back in 2011.

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