Not crores, lakhs or thousands: The Oscar trophy is worth just $1 - here’s why it can’t be sold
Oscar 2026 ceremony is just around the corner, and before the world get's the new batch of winners, here we have compiled the reason behind why an Oscar trophy can't be sold
How much is an Oscar statue worth?
Winning an Oscar is the biggest achievement for an actor, or for anyone who works in cinema. The 2026 Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 16, and before the world gets a new batch of Oscar winners taking home the golden silhouette, did you know the price of this prestigious trophy?
The Oscar trophy is one of the most valuable assets in an actor’s life. Holding the gold-plated 13.5-inch statuette is one of the most priceless moments for any performer or filmmaker. However, despite being one of the most respected and coveted prizes in the world of cinema, the trophy itself is not worth crores, lakhs, or even thousands.
Academy Awards: What's the price of an Oscar?
The golden trophy comes with a price of only $1. The price has been set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences itself. With this surprising rule, did you also know that the Oscar trophy cannot be sold anywhere in the world except to the Academy?
What are the Academy’s rules and regulations?
According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules and regulations, winners are not allowed to sell the trophy in the market freely. Since 1951, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has passed strict rules, stating that
Academy Award winners have no rights whatsoever in the Academy copyright or goodwill in the Oscar statuette or in its trademark and service mark registrations. And they are not allowed to sell or otherwise dispose of the Oscar statuette.
But can it be sold? If yes, where?
The Academy winner has no rights over the trophy that they have won. To respect the award and prevent it from becoming just an expensive collectible, the statuette can only be sold to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and that too at the price of $1. The organisation rules say, ''Award winners shall not sell or otherwise dispose of the Oscar statuette nor permit it to be sold or disposed of by operation of law, without first offering to sell it to the Academy for the sum of $1.00. This provision shall also apply to the heirs and assigns of Academy Award winners who may acquire a statuette by gift or bequest.''
But an Oscar has been auctioned before! Why?
The rules were introduced in 1951 to protect the prestige of the award. This means those who won Oscar statuettes before the 1950s are exempt from this rule. As a result, some of these older Oscars have been sold at auctions. For example, in 1999, Michael Jackson paid $1.54 million for the Best Picture Oscar awarded to Gone with the Wind in 1940. In 2011, Orson Welles's Oscar for writing Citizen Kane sold for $861,542.
What is the actual worth of the trophy?
The Oscar statuette, which is 13.5 inches tall and weighs around 8.5 pounds, is made of bronze and plated with 24-karat gold. According to The Independent UK, the cost of producing an Oscar statuette is around $400.
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