The Mysterious Rosebud Sled from ‘Citizen Kane’ Shatters Records at $14.75 Million—What Secrets Does It Hold?

Who knew a humble wooden sled could rake in a jaw-dropping $14.75 million? Yep, one of the four “Rosebud” sleds from the legendary Orson Welles’ 1941 masterpiece Citizen Kane just became the second priciest movie prop ever auctioned — right behind Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. But here’s the kicker: this seemingly simple sled isn’t just a prop; it’s a cinematic cryptic key to one of the most famous movie mysteries ever. After decades chilling in the hands of director Joe Dante (yep, the Gremlins guy), it finally hit the auction block and shattered expectations. Makes you wonder—what’s your own version of ‘Rosebud’ hidden away somewhere, just waiting to shock the world? Dive into the rich history and surprising journey of this iconic sled before it vanishes again. LEARN MORE

The sled is now the second most expensive movie prop ever sold at auction, second only to Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

Heritage AuctionsThere are three surviving Rosebud sleds from the film, and one just became the second most expensive piece of film memorabilia.

One of the four “Rosebud” sleds used in the filming of Orson Welles’ 1941 movie Citizen Kane just brought in $14.75 million at auction. The staggering price makes the prop the second most expensive piece of film memorabilia ever sold.

The sled comes second to Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which sold for $32.5 million in 2024. Before this recent sale, the sled had been in the possession of director Joe Dante for 40 years. Heritage Auctions has not revealed who purchased this iconic piece of movie history.

The Rosebud Sled Sells For Over $14 Million

Citizen Kane is one of the most legendary films of old Hollywood. Released in 1941 and directed by Orson Welles, the movie is considered a classic.

It follows the story of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, who was based on the real-life publishing giant William Randolph Hearst. Kane’s dying last word at the start of the film is “Rosebud,” and nobody can figure out what it means.

Heritage AuctionsThe sled, which played an important narrative role in the 1941 film Citizen Kane, sold for a stunning $14.75 million at auction.

The end of the film reveals that Kane was referring to a sled that he was playing with as a child on the day his life changed forever.

The Rosebud sled went up for sale on July 16. It brought in a mind-boggling $14.75 million, making it the second most expensive piece of film memorabilia to be sold at auction, according to a statement from Heritage Auctions.

The film prop’s record-breaking price is made even more significant considering how much the other two remaining sleds from Citizen Kane have sold for. Steven Spielberg bought one in 1982 for $60,500, and the other remaining sled was sold for $233,000 to an anonymous buyer in 1996.

At least four identical sleds were used in the production, but one was burned during filming. This sled that just sold at auction was believed to be lost until it ended up in the hands of Joe Dante, best known as the director of the film Gremlins, in the 1980s.

The History Of The Iconic Sled

In 1984, Joe Dante was filming Explorers in a Paramount Studios lot when he came into possession of the Rosebud sled. The lot was formerly the filming location for RKO Pictures, which produced Citizen Kane.

Heritage AuctionsDirector Joe Dante owned the sled for over 40 years before deciding to sell it.

“One of the crew who knew I was a fan of vintage films came to me with a wood prop and said, ‘They’re throwing out all of this stuff. You might want this,’” Dante told Intelligent Collector. “I was astonished. Since I am a huge fan of the movie, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be glad to take it.’”

Dante held onto the sled for decades. He even placed it in four of his films as an Easter egg, including The ‘Burbs (1989) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990).

“I’ve had the honor of protecting this piece of cinematic history for decades,” Dante said. “To see Rosebud find a new home — and make history in the process — is both surreal and deeply gratifying.”

After reading about the auction of the Rosebud sled, discover the story of actress Marion Davies. Then, learn about Herman J. Mankiewicz, the forgotten screenwriter of Citizen Kane.