Who has never dreamed of wearing a designer piece from The Devil Wears Prada, sliding behind the wheel of James Bond’s Aston Martin, or seeing Harry Potter’s spell book on their own bookshelf? For most viewers, these objects once seemed destined to remain behind studio doors, preserved in costume archives, prop departments and museum collections. But with The Devil Wears Prada 2 released in theaters on May 1, 2026, and Meryl Streep announcing that costumes from the sequel will be auctioned to benefit the Committee to Protect Journalists, screen memorabilia is once again moving from fantasy into real life.
That renewed attention reflects a much larger trend. Auction houses such as Julien’s Auctions, Propstore, Heritage Auctions, Bonhams and RM Sotheby’s now regularly offer screen-used furniture, designer wardrobe, production props, vehicles, scripts and set décor. Some pieces sell for a few hundred dollars. Others reach seven or eight figures. For buyers, the appeal is not only owning an object, but holding a direct connection to a character, a scene or a story they loved.
Not Only the Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada showed early on how quickly a movie wardrobe can become collectible. Released in 2006, the film used fashion as storytelling: Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs transformed from practical assistant to polished insider through sleek coats, designer boots, statement bags and high-end office looks, while Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly projected authority through tailored elegance and luxury accessories.
The costumes were treated as auction material almost immediately. In 2006, pieces from the film, including a Calvin Klein coat, were auctioned on eBay. Other designer items reserved for sale included a Valentino white sheer silk chiffon tuxedo blouse, a Bill Blass charcoal pinstripe suit, a Calvin Klein wool coat, a Prada black cocktail dress and a Nancy Gonzalez brown woven bag, with some proceeds benefiting Dress for Success. Final prices for those individual lots are not consistently available in public archives, but the sale helped establish the film’s wardrobe as collectible from the start.
The value of those clothes was already clear. Contemporary reporting described the movie as a showcase of $12,000 handbags and $40,000 fur coats. Stylist Patricia Field assembled roughly $1 million worth of wardrobe for the film, thanks to designer loans and pieces from major fashion houses. Nearly 20 years later, that fashion legacy returned to the spotlight when Anne Hathaway wore the original green coat with leopard trim from Andy Sachs’s makeover montage during the The Devil Wears Prada 2 press tour. Her stylist said Hathaway had purchased the coat at auction, although the price has not been made public.
The sequel has added a new chapter to that auction story. During promotion for The Devil Wears Prada 2, Meryl Streep announced that more than $1 million worth of clothes, jewelry, bags and shoes from the film would be auctioned, with proceeds going to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit that defends press freedom and supports journalists under threat.
After And Just Like That…, Carrie’s World Finds New Owners
One recent example came from Julien’s Auctions’ sale dedicated to And Just Like That…, the Max sequel to Sex and the City. Held April 30 and May 1, 2026, at Julien’s in Gardena, California, the auction offered more than 500 lots from the show, including designer clothing, shoes, furniture, keepsakes and props connected to Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York-Goldenblatt, Miranda Hobbes and the wider New York universe of the series. Julien’s listed Carrie Bradshaw’s fictional Loved and Lost book prop with a sold price of $2,240, far above its $200 to $300 estimate.
The sale mixed fashion and interiors, which made it especially appealing to fans. Other items included apartment décor, Big-related props, Charlotte’s dog accessories, Che Diaz’s fictional sitcom pieces, Anthony Marentino’s Hot Fellas bakery items and wardrobe from several characters. Among the standout pieces were Carrie’s designer shoe boxes, parcels from her Gramercy Park address, Big’s funeral cards, Carrie’s phone cases, Miranda’s vintage Issey Miyake coat, Charlotte’s Prada gingham coat, Anthony’s Louis Vuitton bags and Big’s faux Rolex-style watch. Early bids for the bags and watch reached $4,000 and $5,000.
For buyers, the appeal was emotional as much as decorative. A prop book, a set of keys, a bakery sign or a piece of apartment décor can feel like owning a fragment of Carrie’s New York. These objects helped create the atmosphere of the show. Bringing one home means giving that fictional world a second address.
Cars, Motorcycles and the Fantasy Garage
Vehicles occupy a special place in screen memorabilia because they attract film fans, design collectors and car enthusiasts at the same time. They are props, but they are also machines, status symbols and feats of engineering.
The best-known example remains James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5. In 2019, RM Sotheby’s sold a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 “Bond Car” for $6,385,000 in Monterey. The auction listing described it as “The Most Famous Car in the World,” one of two examples directly purchased by Eon Productions for the launch of Thunderball, and one of four examples built to Q Branch specifications as featured in Goldfinger.
John Wick’s muscle-car mythology has also reached the auction market. Bonhams’ Movie Cars Collection included a screen-used 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 from John Wick: Chapter 2, driven by Keanu Reeves in the opening sequence. The car was described as one of five Mustangs built for the production and carried an estimate of roughly $96,000 to $158,000.
Batman’s garage has produced some of the most memorable results. The original 1966 Batmobile from the Adam West television series sold at Barrett-Jackson in 2013 for $4.2 million, plus about $420,000 in premiums. The buyer was Rick Champagne, a Phoenix-area logistics company owner, who told reporters he had loved Batman growing up and had come to the auction intending to buy the car.
Motorcycles have their own following. A Nicolas Cage “Ghost Rider” process Hell Cycle from Ghost Rider sold through Heritage Auctions in 2016 for $10,800. On television, Sons of Anarchy brought Harley-Davidson culture into the auction world. In 2014, ScreenBid hosted an official online auction of more than 700 props, wardrobe pieces and set-used items from the FX series, including motorcycles, SAMCRO leather cuts, Jax’s helmet and white Nikes, the president’s gavel and clubhouse props. During bidding, the Los Angeles Times reported that Jax Teller’s Knucklehead had reached $16,500, Opie’s 2001 Harley Dyna Glide was at $7,200, and the clubhouse gavel had reached $10,500. Those were live bidding figures, not confirmed final sale prices.
TV Shows Where Original Props Became Collectibles
Television memorabilia has become one of the most active areas of the auction market because viewers often spend years with the same characters, interiors and visual details. For collectors, the most desirable items are original pieces used in production: costumes worn by actors, set décor from recognizable locations, props handled on screen, and objects tied to specific episodes.
Friends continues to attract bidders through original wardrobe and production-used items. In Julien’s 2024 anniversary auction, Rachel Green’s gray mohair turtleneck sweater sold for $6,500, Chandler Bing’s teal polo sweater also sold for $6,500, and Phoebe Buffay’s blue denim coat with faux-fur trim sold for $5,200. Each piece carried more than fashion value. It was a memory of a character millions of viewers felt they knew.
The Sopranos showed how a single piece of set furniture can become a cultural artifact. In 2024, the original diner booth from the series finale sold on eBay for $82,600. The booth came from Holsten’s in Bloomfield, New Jersey, where Tony Soprano and his family sat during the show’s final scene. The sale included both seats, the table and the divider wall. The jukebox was not included, and the buyer’s identity was not publicly disclosed.
For buyers, television props often feel especially personal. A movie may last two hours, but a TV series can become part of people’s weekly routines for years. Owning a jacket, a diner booth, a clubhouse gavel or a piece of wardrobe is a way to preserve that connection in physical form.
Fantasy and Sci-Fi: Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Star Trek
Fantasy and science-fiction franchises are especially active in the auction world because their objects are central to their mythology. A wand, a sword, a throne, a starship model or a uniform can carry an entire universe.
For Harry Potter, even small props can command major prices. In 2024, a Marauder’s Map from the film series sold for $299,250 at Propstore, setting a record for the most expensive Harry Potter movie prop sold at auction. The map came from David Holmes, Daniel Radcliffe’s former stunt double, and proceeds were intended to help support his care after a serious injury sustained during production. (Harry Potter)
Game of Thrones proved the strength of fantasy collecting on a larger scale. In 2024, Heritage Auctions sold more than 900 lots from the HBO series for more than $21 million. The Iron Throne sold for $1.49 million, Jon Snow’s sword Longclaw sold for $400,000, and his Night’s Watch ensemble sold for $337,500. The auction drew more than 4,500 bidders worldwide. (Heritage Auctions)
Science fiction is just as active. A light-up C-3PO head from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back sold at Propstore in March 2026 for $1,058,400, becoming one of that auction’s top results. Propstore is also holding a Star Trek: Discovery online auction from April 14 to May 12, 2026, with more than 300 costume and prop lots from seasons one through five and Star Trek: Short Treks. (StarWars.com)
Retro Blockbusters Still Bring in Bidders
Older movie memorabilia continues to perform well because many of these items have decades of audience recognition behind them. A pair of Rocky Balboa’s gloves, a leather jacket from The Terminator, or Axel Foley’s Detroit Lions jacket from Beverly Hills Cop can bring back a character, a scene and an era in one object.
Rocky memorabilia remains collectible because the franchise is built around physical objects: gloves, robes, boots, belts and training gear. Julien’s Auctions has listed a pair of Sylvester Stallone “Rocky Balboa” boxing gloves from the 2006 film Rocky Balboa with a sold price of $16,000, above the $8,000 to $10,000 estimate.
Propstore’s March 2026 Los Angeles entertainment sale also featured more than 1,550 items, including a harpoon gun from Jaws estimated at $250,000 to $500,000, Quint’s fishing rod, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s jacket from The Terminator, helmets from Gladiator and a hand-crafted Marauder’s Map from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban estimated at $40,000 to $80,000.
These pieces may not all reach record-breaking prices, but they are instantly recognizable. Often, that is what drives the emotional side of bidding: the moment a buyer sees the gloves, the jacket or the prop and remembers exactly where it belongs.
The Record Breakers
At the highest end of the market, screen memorabilia can sell for prices usually associated with fine art.
In December 2024, a pair of Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz sold at Heritage Auctions for $32.5 million, making them the most valuable movie memorabilia ever sold at auction. One of four surviving pairs worn by Garland in the 1939 film, the slippers had also been stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 and recovered by the FBI in 2018.
In July 2025, the “Rosebud” sled from Citizen Kane sold at Heritage Auctions for $14.75 million. The sled had been owned by filmmaker Joe Dante for decades. The buyer remained anonymous.
Fashion has its own record-setting moments. Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress, worn during her 1962 performance for John F. Kennedy, sold at Julien’s Auctions in 2016 for $4.8 million and was acquired by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. The gown returned to public attention in 2022 when Kim Kardashian wore it briefly on the Met Gala red carpet, then changed into a replica after climbing the stairs.
Star Wars continues to set major benchmarks as well. In 2025, Darth Vader’s lightsaber from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi sold at Propstore for $3.6 million, making it the most expensive Star Wars prop sold at auction at the time.
Upcoming Auctions to Watch
The auction calendar remains active. Propstore’s Star Trek: Discovery online auction runs through May 12, 2026, with more than 300 lots from the series. Propstore is also preparing an Online Entertainment Memorabilia Auction in London from May 5 to 21, 2026, followed by an Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction in Los Angeles from August 27 to 29, 2026.
Bonhams is preparing Outlander: The Auction, with a live sale scheduled for August 5, 2026, at Bonhams New Bond Street in London and an online auction running from July 20 to August 6, 2026. Early highlights include Claire Fraser’s wedding night ensemble, Jamie Fraser’s Battle of Culloden costume, Claire’s “Bat Suit,” wedding rings and production models.
The Sentimental Value of Owning a Piece of the Story
For many buyers, the appeal of film and television memorabilia goes far beyond investment. These objects carry the memory of a favorite character, an unforgettable scene, a childhood obsession, a family ritual, or a show watched during a meaningful chapter of life. Collectors often identify with the characters they love, replay scenes in their imagination, and feel connected to the worlds those stories created. Owning one can make them feel closer to the movie or show they love, almost as if they have become part of its story.
That is why auctions are so exciting. The winning bidder is not simply buying leather, metal, fabric, paper or wood. They are buying the thrill of recognition: the coat that changed Andy Sachs, the car that made Bond untouchable, the map that opened Hogwarts, the booth that closed The Sopranos, or the motorcycle that carried Jax Teller toward his final ride.
Still, buyers need to be careful. The memorabilia market is thrilling, but scams are common, and terms can be confusing. “Screen-used” means the item was used during filming. “Screen-matched” means it can be matched to a specific scene or frame. “Production-made” means it was created for the production, though it may not have appeared on screen. “Stunt” items may have been built differently for action sequences. “Replica” or “inspired by” pieces may look like the original, but they are not original production items. Before bidding, collectors should review provenance, condition reports, certificates of authenticity, buyer’s premiums, taxes, shipping and insurance.
With the right research, buying screen memorabilia can be one of the most joyful forms of collecting. These pieces give films and TV shows a second life. The credits may roll, but the objects remain. And for the people lucky enough to bring one home, the magic does not end at the auction block. It begins again.