Movie props come in a wide range of styles, qualities, and even prices. When props are solely designed for film, they tend to depend on the film’s budget, which is why some props are ridiculously expensive. Over the years, film fans have spent big money on buying some truly iconic film props. So let’s take a look at a few insanely expensive movie props you may recognize.
The Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz
When The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939, fans were immediately enraptured with Judy Garland’s ruby slippers. The ruby slippers played a major role in the film and are even considered one of the most valuable props in film history. Aside from the pair that is on display at the Smithsonian, there are only three other known pairs. One of which was sold in 2000 and went for $666,000. While the ruby slippers may not have the same magical qualities as they do in the movie, they’re still a treasured item.
The Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger
James Bond is known for driving extremely expensive, fancy cars in all of his films. But one of the most famous cars in the James Bond world was his Aston Martin DB5. This car is known as one of the most famous movie cars of all time and was in pristine condition when it sold in 2010. There were actually two Aston Martins made for Goldfinger: an “Effects Car” and a “Road Car”. The “Road Car” sold for $4.6 million in 2010 and the other was actually stolen in 1997 from an airport hangar and hasn’t been seen since.
The Statuette from the Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon was released in 1941 and featured an extremely expensive statuette of the Maltese Falcon. While there are plenty of plaster falcons that were used throughout the film instead of the real 45-pound lead statuette, the lead statuette became one of the most expensive props to be sold. In 2013, the falcon statuette sold for $4.1 million and people still continue to try to pass off plaster copies as the real deal.
Filmmakers have to be careful with props solely designed for film, especially with regulations that pose fines of up to $250,000 and 20 years in prison for using prop money illegally. But these props are some of the most famous and expensive movie items known today.