A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in 

&nbsp;are on the auction block nearly two decades after a thief stole the iconic shoes, convinced they were adorned with real jewels.

Online bidding has started and will continue through Dec. 7, Heritage Auctions in Dallas announced in a news release on Monday.

The auction company received the sequin-and-bead-bedazzled slippers from Michael Shaw, the memorabilia collector who originally owned the footwear at the heart of the beloved 1939 musical. Shaw had loaned the shoes in 2005 to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minn.

That summer, someone smashed through a display case and stole the slippers. Their whereabouts remained a mystery until the FBI recovered them in 2018.

Now the museum is among those vying for the slippers, which were one of several pairs Garland wore during the filming. Only four remain.

The Judy Garland Museum wants to bring the famous stolen ruby slippers back to the actor's hometown

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the release of The Wizard of Oz, and a pair of slippers worn by Judy Garland in the film is back in the spotlight. Almost two decades ago, a pair of Dorothy's ruby slippers were stolen from an exhibit at The Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The slippers were later recovered and are now on a world tour before going up for auction later this year. Executive Director Janie Heitz and curator John Kelsch, tell us about the museum's campaign to buy the slippers and remind everyone there's no place like home. 

Red sequined shoes with chunky short heels and little bows on display in a glass case atop blue velvet and in front of an American flag.

FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Federal prosecutors say a man has been indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.”  The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)

Stolen Ruby Slippers

Why Over the Rainbow remains iconic 85 years after The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz’s signature song Over the Rainbow may be 85 years old, but the ballad originally performed by Judy Garland has lost none of its original potency according to musicologist Walter Frisch.

Actors playing the Tin Man, Dorothy, Scarecrow and Lion appear in a screenshot from the movie The Wizard of Oz.

Jack Haley, Judy Garland, Ray Bolger and Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz. The film was released 80 years ago this month.

THE WIZARD OF OZ, 1939

Jack Haley, Judy Garland, Ray Bolger and Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz. Garland's song Over the Rainbow has become an iconic performance since the film released over 85 years ago.

Grand Rapids, Garland's birthplace,&nbsp;raised money for the slippers at its annual Judy Garland festival. The funds will supplement the $100,000 US set aside this year by Minnesota lawmakers to purchase the slippers.

The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, was 76 when he was sentenced in January to time served because of his poor health. He admitted&nbsp;to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum's door and display case in what his lawyer said was an attempt to pull off "one last score" after an old associate with connections to the Mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million US insured value.

The auction of movie memorabilia includes other items from 

,&nbsp;such as a hat worn by Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West and the screen door from Dorothy's Kansas home.

A pair of ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in the The Wizard of Oz are displayed at a news conference at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn., on Sept. 4, 2018.

Ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are for sale nearly 2 decades after they were stolen

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