The most expensive piece of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia ever sold is the white “subway dress” from The Seven Year Itch, which fetched $5.6 million including fees at Profiles in History in June 2011. Her “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” gown ranks second at $4.8 million in 2016. This list ranks ten of the highest reported prices for her belongings, and includes the centennial sales that took place in June 2026, on what would have been her 100th birthday.
| Rank | Item | Price (USD) | Sale date | Sold at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White “subway” dress, The Seven Year Itch | $5,600,000 | Jun 2011 | Profiles in History |
| 2 | “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” gown | $4,800,000 | 2016 | Julien’s Auctions |
| 3 | Red sequin gown, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes | about $1,470,000 | Reported 2011 | Debbie Reynolds sale |
| 4 | Platinum eternity ring from Joe DiMaggio | about $772,000 | 1999 | Christie’s |
| 5 | White piano | about $662,500 | 1999 | Christie’s |
| 6 | Green saloon dress, River of No Return | about $510,000 | Reported | Auction |
| 7 | “Heat Wave” tropical outfit | about $500,000 | 2011 | Debbie Reynolds sale |
| 8 | Dior wool skirt suit from her honeymoon | $450,000 | Jun 2026 | Heritage Auctions |
| 9 | Triple hoop pendant earrings | $387,500 | Jun 2026 | Heritage Auctions |
| 10 | Black cocktail dress | about $348,000 | 2011 | Julien’s Auctions |
1. The white “subway” dress: $5.6 million
Designer William Travilla made the ivory halter dress for The Seven Year Itch, in which Monroe stands over a subway grate as the air lifts her skirt. It is the best-known costume in Hollywood. It was sold from the collection of actress Debbie Reynolds in June 2011 for $4.6 million at the hammer, or $5.6 million with the buyer’s premium, reportedly a record for a film costume at that time.
How we valued it: the published total including premium.
2. The “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” gown: $4.8 million
Monroe wore this gown in 1962 at Madison Square Garden when she sang to the President. It was sold by Julien’s Auctions in 2016 for $4.8 million to Ripley’s Believe It or Not. The same dress had been sold at Christie’s in 1999 for about $1.27 million, so its price roughly quadrupled in 17 years.
How we valued it: the published result including premium.
3. The red gown: about $1.47 million
Another Travilla creation, worn in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for the “Two Little Girls from Little Rock” number alongside Jane Russell. It is covered in hand-sewn sequins and has a deep split closed with a diamond brooch. Older lists report $1.47 million, from the Debbie Reynolds sales.
How we valued it: reported price, as listed in older sources.
4. The eternity ring: about $772,000
Joe DiMaggio gave Monroe a platinum eternity band set with 35 baguette diamonds in January 1954. It reappeared at Christie’s in 1999 with one diamond missing, and sold for about $772,000.
How we valued it: reported price from the 1999 sale.
5. The white piano: about $662,500
The piano had belonged to her mother. Monroe tracked it down and bought it back, and wrote about it in her posthumously published memoir. It sold at Christie’s in 1999 for about $662,500. Reports say the buyer was singer Mariah Carey.
How we valued it: reported price from the 1999 sale.
6. The saloon dress: about $510,000
A green velour dress worn in River of No Return, with two high slits and a red tiered underskirt. Travilla made it for Betty Grable in 1953, and Monroe wore it in the film. It sold to a private collector for about $510,000.
How we valued it: reported price, date not confirmed.
7. The “Heat Wave” outfit: about $500,000
The pink, black and white tropical costume from There’s No Business Like Show Business in 1954 sold in 2011 at the Debbie Reynolds sale for about half a million dollars.
How we valued it: reported price.
8. The Dior suit: $450,000
The newest top result. A black Dior-for-Saks wool skirt suit that Monroe wore on her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio in January 1954 sold at Heritage Auctions on June 1, 2026, for $450,000, a record for personal Monroe material with clear provenance.
How we valued it: the published result including premium.
9. The pendant earrings: $387,500
Personal triple hoop earrings, worn when she arrived at Idlewild Airport in September 1954 to promote The Seven Year Itch. The same Heritage sale brought $387,500, another record.
How we valued it: the published result including premium.
10. The black cocktail dress: about $348,000
A hand-tailored black dress with a V neckline and poufed hem, worn at a party at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 1958 and photographed for a book cover. It sold at Julien’s in 2011 for about $348,000.
How we valued it: reported price.
Records set in 2025 and 2026
- June 1, 2026: Heritage’s centennial sale brought just over $2.5 million. The top lots were the Dior suit ($450,000) and the earrings ($387,500), both records, plus her personal phone book ($75,000) and a handwritten letter from Arthur Miller ($62,500).
- June 2026: Julien’s Auctions held a “100 Years of Marilyn” sale of 185 items, with a gold-tone evening purse estimated at $100,000. We have not confirmed the final results.
- No Monroe item has beaten the 2011 subway dress price.
What drives these prices
- Screen-worn pieces. The famous film costumes dominate the top of the list because they are visible in scenes people know.
- Documented provenance. Items with clear ownership history from her friends and estate now sell for far more.
- Anniversaries. Her 100th birthday in 2026 brought a wave of consigned lots.
- Single-owner collections. Debbie Reynolds’ collection supplied several of the biggest sales.
- Bidding on repeat. The Happy Birthday gown quadrupled between two sales, which shows the market is rising.
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What is the most expensive Marilyn Monroe item ever sold?
The white subway dress from The Seven Year Itch, at $5.6 million with fees in 2011.
How much did the Happy Birthday dress sell for?
$4.8 million in 2016, sold by Julien’s Auctions to Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
What sold at the 2026 centennial auctions?
Heritage’s June 1 sale brought just over $2.5 million, led by a $450,000 Dior suit.
What is the cheapest item on this list?
The black cocktail dress, at about $348,000 in 2011.
Where are the famous dresses now?
Ripley’s bought the Happy Birthday gown. We could not confirm where the subway dress is held today.
How we put this list together
We ranked items by reported sale price including premium where available, using auction results and older price lists compiled in an internal valuation model. Prices are approximate and change as new sales set records.
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Last updated: October 2026.
