The iconic ruby ​​pumps worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ will go on world tour before being auctioned off in December.

The shoes, which were insured for one million dollars, disappeared one night in August 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in the actress’ hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA. The thieves thought they were made of real rubies.

Thirteen years later they resurfaced, thanks largely to the actions of the FBI.

The memorabilia collector who owns the iconic shoes has handed them over to an auction house, which now plans to put them on a world tour.

The boots will be sold in December 2024, said a spokesman for Dallas-based auction house Heritage Auctions. In fact, the film’s star wore several pairs during filming, but only four survive.

These are believed to have been used in close-ups when Dorothy was dancing.

Collector Michael Shaw, who was an MGM contract actor in his youth, acquired the pair of shoes from Hollywood costume designer Kent Warner, who found them in an MGM warehouse. The collector loaned them to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids.

The other three pairs are owned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, and a private collector.

In a private ceremony at the Judy Garland Museum recently, collector Michael Shaw received his stolen pair of ruby ​​heels.

“It’s like welcoming back an old friend I haven’t seen in years,” said Michael Shaw, who stood with federal agents and local authorities who tracked down the legendary shoes after nearly two decades. However, he will soon part with them, as he has decided to sell them at auction.

Heritage Auctions, which handled the sale, announced that the shoes will be shown on a tour with stops in Los Angeles, New York, London and Tokyo.

Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She lived in Grand Rapids until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. He died in 1969.