So much for “It belongs in a museum!” Indiana Jones’ iconic whip just cracked the auction block for a jaw-dropping price.
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Harrison Ford’s bullwhip from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade cracked its way to a cool $525,000 at Heritage Auctions’ Summer Entertainment Auction, which runs through Friday.
“This David Morgan 450 series bullwhip was handcrafted from finely braided 12 plait, kangaroo leather, featuring two plaited bellies and built over on an 8[-inch] steel handle foundation with wrist loop affixed to the pommel and features a whitehide leather fall and twisted, black nylon popper,” the item’s auction description reads.
To top it all off, Professor Jones’ whip ended up in the hands of royalty.
“Following Harrison Ford and the film’s producers presenting this Indy bullwhip to then-Prince Charles at the June 27, 1989 Royal Premiere, Diana, Princess of Wales gifted the bullwhip and by further descent to the present owner,” the item’s description adds.
“The bullwhip is the iconic symbol of an iconic character of cinema history, Indiana Jones, and has been a highlight of this auction,” Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena told the Associated Press leading up the the auction.
The whip sold Thursday was reportedly used during the Holy Grail trials in the climax of 1989’s Last Crusade.
Indiana Jones’ Whip Went for a Fraction of Another Iconic Film Prop
However, Indiana Jones’ whip went for chump change compared to another film prop.
Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen Citizen Kane since it came out in 1941, look away now! The iconic “Rosebud” sled—a major plot twist and the final word uttered by Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles)—also sold for a jaw-dropping $14.75 million at the auction.
“Orson Welles stated that three balsa wood sleds were built for the climactic scene in which Rosebud is incinerated amid Kane’s possessions in Xanadu,” the official description detailed. “Lightweight balsa was chosen to burn quickly on camera.”
The description highlights that the sled is one of just three surviving props from the film. Of these, one was acquired by Indiana Jones director Steven Spielberg at a Sotheby’s auction in 1982 for a paltry $60,500.