The warm summer months didn’t stop Heritage Auctions from selling one of movie history’s most well-known winter toys.
Citizen Kane’s Rosebud sled sold for $14.75 million on July 16, 2025, as part of the company’s Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction.
This sled, one of several models used in the film, was consigned by director Joe Dante.
“I’ve had the honour of protecting this piece of cinematic history for decades,” Dante said in a statement shared by Heritage to The Guardian. “To see Rosebud find a new home—and make history in the process —is both surreal and deeply gratifying. It’s a testament to the enduring power of storytelling.”
The sled is one of only three that are known to exist today. One was purchased by film icon Steven Spielberg in 1982 for $60,500 in a Sotheby’s auction, while the other went to Arthur Bauer in a contest following Citizen Kane’s release and was later sold for more than $230,000 in a 1996 Christie’s lot.
Dante acquired the sled by happenstance. “While filming Explorers in 1984 on a section of the Paramount lot once belonging to RKO, a crew member clearing storage areas offered him an old sled headed for disposal. Recognizing its significance, Dante preserved it as his most treasured item,” Heritage explained in its item description.
Jon Waldman is a Winnipeg-based writer. He has written for Beckett, Go GTS, Canadian Sports Collector, and several other hobby outlets over his two decades in the hobby. His experience also includes two books on sports cards and memorabilia. Connect with Jon on Twitter at @jonwaldman.
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