Heritage Auctions
Steve Ivy dropped out of the University of Texas at Austin in 1967 to start a rare coin business. He formed Steve Ivy Rare Coin Co. in Dallas, Texas that same year. The company evolved into Heritage Auctions when Ivy established it in Dallas in 1976. Jim Halperin sold his Boston-based business and moved to Dallas to join Ivy in 1982. This partnership marked a turning point for the small numismatic operation. Marc Emory joined Halperin as a partner and now oversees European operations. Greg Rohan entered the company in 1986 and eventually became president. These early partners built the foundation for what would become a global auction giant.
Heritage Auctions consolidated three Dallas-area locations into a new world headquarters on the 1st of June 2020. The facility spans 160,000 square feet near Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. It houses 450 employees within the DFW Airport international trade zone. The company maintains offices in New York on Park Avenue focusing on fine arts. A West Coast location exists in Beverly Hills, California on Olympic Boulevard. In 2011, Heritage acquired Greg Martin Auctions in San Francisco to create a weapons division. An office opened in Hong Kong in 2015. Spring 2017 saw the formation of a Florida branch with offices in Palm Beach. January 2017 brought an office opening in Chicago alongside a new London location. Heritage took over MPO located in IJsselstein, The Netherlands in 2015. This merger added a Belgium office on the outskirts of Brussels in Zaventem. As of 2025, showrooms and offices opened in Tokyo and Munich while plans emerged for a Canada branch.
On the 7th of December 2024, Heritage sold Judy Garland's Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz for $32,500,000. This item became known as The Holy Grail of Hollywood Memorabilia. Babe Ruth's called shot jersey sold for $24.12 million on the 25th of August 2024. That sale made it the most expensive sports collectible in history. A 1938 Action Comics #1 featuring Superman's first appearance sold for $6 million on the 7th of April 2024. It became the most expensive comic book ever sold. An unopened copy of Nintendo's Super Mario 64 from 1996 sold for $1.56 million on the 11th of July 2021. This set a new record for video games. A signed Michael Jordan card fetched $1.44 million on the 4th of February 2021. The world's most valuable gold coin, a 1787 New York-style Brasher Doubloon, sold for $9.36 million on the 24th of January 2021. Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov's Nobel Peace Prize medal sold for US$103.5 million on the 21st of June 2022.
Heritage introduced a memorabilia department in 2003 with an inaugural auction valued at approximately $2 million. The company launched its luxury items division in 2010 including jewelry and handbags. Rare items from these auctions have sold for over two hundred thousand dollars. By 2013, Heritage began auctioning modern and contemporary art featuring works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. The company acquired Greg Martin Auctions in San Francisco to specialize in weapons and armament. An office opened in Hong Kong in 2015 expanding international reach. Spring 2017 saw the formation of a Florida branch with offices in Palm Beach. Heritage took over MPO located in IJsselstein, The Netherlands in 2015 adding European operations. Showrooms and offices opened in Tokyo and Munich in 2024 while plans emerged for a Canada branch. The company now handles fine art, books, real estate, and memorabilia from film, music, history, and sports.
In 2024, Heritage received a cease and desist letter from the Atlanta Braves regarding Hank Aaron's bases. Heritage filed a lawsuit seeking damages and asserting authenticity of its consignment. On the 13th of April 2024, Heritage facilitated the return of the original USS Enterprise model from Star Trek to Gene Roddenberry's son. In August 2021, YouTuber Karl Jobst claimed Heritage created an artificial collectable bubble through conflict of interests. Heritage denied engaging in any illegal or unethical practices following the video publication. A painting titled Eyes Upon You by Margaret Keane sold in December 2020 was later revealed stolen from 1972. The FBI intervened and returned the painting to the owner's daughter. In 2019, a judge ruled Collectrium had to pay Heritage close to $1.8 million of the $49 million sought. Heritage took legal action against Christie's in 2014 for hiring their handbag specialists. The country of Mongolia sued Heritage in 2012 over auctioning a Tyrannosaurus bataar fossil skeleton. Heritage assisted the Mongolian government in resolving ownership before repatriating the specimen.
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Common questions
When did Steve Ivy drop out of the University of Texas at Austin to start his rare coin business?
Steve Ivy dropped out of the University of Texas at Austin in 1967. He formed Steve Ivy Rare Coin Co. in Dallas, Texas that same year.
Where is the world headquarters of Heritage Auctions located and when was it consolidated?
Heritage Auctions consolidated three Dallas-area locations into a new world headquarters on the 1st of June 2020. The facility spans 160,000 square feet near Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
What record price did Judy Garland's Ruby Slippers sell for at Heritage Auctions?
On the 7th of December 2024, Heritage sold Judy Garland's Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz for $32,500,000. This item became known as The Holy Grail of Hollywood Memorabilia.
Which division of Heritage Auctions specializes in weapons and armament?
The company acquired Greg Martin Auctions in San Francisco to create a weapons division. This acquisition allows Heritage to specialize in weapons and armament.
How much money did Heritage Auctions receive from Collectrium after the legal dispute in 2019?
In 2019, a judge ruled Collectrium had to pay Heritage close to $1.8 million of the $49 million sought. Heritage took legal action against Christie's in 2014 for hiring their handbag specialists.