As the 97th Academy Awards arrive Sunday night, cllct takes a look at 10 of the most interesting movie props from Best Picture winners to sell at auction over the years.
1. "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2002)
The staff used by Ian McKellan as Gandalf in all three films from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy sold in October 2014 for $390,000.
It was handmade for the film and used as a reference for the production of replica prop collectibles after the film wrapped production.
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2. "Gladiator" (2000)
Russell Crowe’s helmet and mask worn during his portrayal of Maximus in the re-enactment of the Battle of Carthage in “Gladiator” sold in January 2023 for more than $275,000.
The helmet was damaged on set and had to undergo some repairs after filming and prior to the sale.
3. "Titanic" (1997)
The wood panel to which Kate Winslets Rose clunged at the end of “Titanic,” while Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack stayed in the water, sold at Heritage for $718,750 in 2024.
James Cameron was inspired to use the panel in the famous scene by an actual wood panel salvaged from the real Titanic in 1912.
4. "Braveheart" (1995)
Mel Gibson’s sword produced for “Braveheart,” described as his character William Wallace’s “signature claymore sword,” fetched $275,000 in December 2022.
5. "Forrest Gump" (1994)
Many items from the beloved Tom Hanks film “Forrest Gump” have surfaced at auction over the years, plenty of which were never even seen in the movie.
However, the hat Hanks wore during the running sequence — screen-matched to the film — sold for more than $75,000 in November 2024, a record price for any prop from the movie.
6. "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)
The Kimono worn by Ted Levine’s Buffalo Bill in “The Silence of the Lambs” sold for $37,500 in March 2024.
7. "Rocky" (1976)
Sylvester Stallone’s leather jacket from “Rocky” sold for $149,000 in 2015.
According to the lot description provided by Heritage, Stallone said he bought the jacket years before coming up with the idea for the film. “…when the time came to do the movie, we didn't have a budget where we could afford an original wardrobe so I thought, ‘Why don't I just wear the things that I think Rocky would wear, clothes from my real life?’ So, I went in my closet, pulled out this jacket.”
8. "The Godfather" (1972)
A massive archive of the life work of Mario Puzo, who wrote “The Godfather” novel and collaborated with Francis Ford Coppola to pen the adapted screenplay for the film, sold for $612,000 in 2016 at RR Auctions.
Inside the 45 boxes were 10 books, nine screenplays and Puzo’s handwritten drafts of the novel as well as handwritten amendments to the screenplay.
9. "The Sound of Music" (1965)
The guitar played by Julie Andrews as Maria in “The Sound of Music” sold for $93,750 in 2022.
10. "Casablanca" (1943)
Dubbed by the New York Times “one of the most famous pianos in the world,” the piano seen in “Casablanca” when Ingrid Bregman delivers one of the most iconic lines in the history of film, “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By,'” sold in 2014 for a whopping $3.4 million.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.