Some lucky millionaire will be able to own a key piece of the Wicked Witch of the West — for good.
That’s because the iconic hat worn by Margaret Hamilton in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz is going up for auction on Dec. 9. Offered by Heritage Auctions — which last year sold a pair of ruby slippers from the film for $28 million — that hat comes up for sale just as Wicked: For Good, which brings to an end a revisionist telling of the witch’s backstory (played by Cynthia Erivo in the Wicked films), hits theaters ahead of Thanksgiving.
The black wool hat measures 14 inches high with a 19.5-inch diameter brim. It also retains the 22-inch elastic chin strap tied around Hamilton’s jaw to keep it secure during the flying broomstick scenes.
The costume was designed by Adrian Adolph Greenburg, who went by Gilbert Adrian professionally, and became the one used in the film after an original was deemed not menacing enough.
“When Dorothy Gale becomes Dorothy of Oz, it’s when she puts on the ruby slippers,” says Joe Maddalena, executive vp of Heritage Auctions. “When the Wicked Witch becomes the Wicked Witch, she puts on the hat. So it’s this transformational moment of the birth of the witch. I think the importance of the hat is just incredible. It’s on par with the slippers.”
The hat is one of several Oz items hitting the block. Also available are a copy of L. Frank Baum’s original The Wizard of Oz book signed and inscribed by Judy Garland as well as autographed by other cast members, including Toto’s actual paw prints. (The book was originally a gift to the daughter of Garland’s onset tutor.)
A right-foot ruby slipper worn by Garland during rehearsals, adorned with crimson-burgundy glass bugle beads, is up for auction. An organza blouse worn onscreen by Garland will also sell; it has the name “Judy Garland” handwritten on the label.
The auction comes at a time of massive renewed interest in the classic fantasy film, with both Wicked: For Good opening globally and the AI-enhanced The Wizard of Oz at Sphere playing an immersive version.
In December 2024, Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda the Good Witch in the Wicked films, got tearful when she was presented on The Drew Barrymore Show with one of the test wands used by Billie Burke, the original Glinda from 1939’s Oz. The wand was just a loaner, however — not a gift.
The wand last sold for $400,000 in 2019. The Wicked Witch’s hat sold for $2.93 million in 2024. Hollywood memorabilia experts expect its value to climb even higher in December’s auction.
