‘Rosebud’ Sled From Citizen Kane Fetches $14.75 Million at Auction

A key piece of cinematic history has found a new home — and made history in the process. One of the original “Rosebud” sleds used in Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941) sold for an astounding $14.75 million at Heritage Auctions, making it the second most expensive movie prop ever sold, following the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which fetched $32.5 million last year.

The pinewood sled, still bearing its original paint and production wear, had been in the possession of filmmaker Joe Dante (Gremlins, The ’Burbs) since 1984. Dante received the prop while directing Explorers (1985), after a crew member salvaged it from a studio cleanup on the old RKO Pictures lot. “I was astonished,” Dante recalled. “Since I’m a huge fan of the movie, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be glad to take it.’”

Scientific analysis later confirmed the sled’s authenticity. Dante went on to feature it as an Easter egg in several of his projects, including Gremlins 2 and the TV series Eerie, Indiana.

“This piece of cinematic history has been in my care for decades,” Dante said in a statement. “Watching it find a new home and break records is surreal and deeply rewarding. It shows how powerful storytelling can transcend time.”

The sled’s sale was part of Heritage’s massive Entertainment auction, which also featured items like Bob Peak’s Apocalypse Now artwork ($687,500), a Ten Commandments tablet, Luke Skywalker’s Red Five X-wing, and Indiana Jones’ whip.

“This is more than an auction — it's a celebration of Hollywood’s mythology,” said Heritage VP Joe Maddalena. “Each object carries a legend.”

The buyer of the “Rosebud” sled remains anonymous.