Heritage Auctions recorded $1.867 billion in sales in 2024, the most ever for the auction house and a massive leap from the $873 million recorded four years ago.
The auction house posted record-breaking sales across categories, including the ruby red slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” Babe Ruth’s “Called Shot” jersey and a copy of Action Comics No. 1, which set the all-time high watermark for any piece of entertainment memorabilia, sports memorabilia and comic book, respectively.
“Collectors continue to amaze us with their passion and curiosity, uncovering treasures that redefine what it means to preserve history and culture,” CEO and co-founder Steve Ivy said in a statement Monday. “As we welcome new generations into the world of collecting, we’re inspired by the opportunities to uncover new stories and connect people with the objects they love.”
In 2023, Heritage completed $1.76 billion in sales, which was a 21% increase over the prior year and the third consecurtive year of record-breaking sales. In 2020 the auction house recorded $873 million in sales.
In July, the auction house reported $924 million in the first half of 2024.
Heritage, which was founded in 1976 as a coin-focused auction house, experienced growth across many of its now-50 categories, including the sale of the world’s most valuable Dutch coin for more than $1.1 million last April.
The auction house says the categories which experienced the most growth this year were its comics and comic art, sports and Hollywood/entertainment divisions. Heritage’s Hollywood/entertainment category grew from a “$4 million afterthought just a decade ago into a $102 million juggernaut in 2024.”
“Entertainment has seen the single largest growth in 2024,” Ivy said. “And we only expect it to continue that breathtaking progress in the coming year.”
In addition to the ruby red slippers sale, Heritage's October auction of “Game of Thrones” memorabilia pulled in more than $21 million from more than 4,500 bidders, the majority of whom were first-timers at the auction house.
In 2014, comics and comic art accounted for $31 million in total sales for Heritage. In 2024, that number exceeded $200 million.
Sports also cleared $200 million, including private sales.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.