On November 18, 2025, the art world saw one of its most unusual headlines in recent memory: a solid gold, fully functional toilet—titled America and created by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan—sold for a staggering $12.1 million at Sotheby’s “Now & Contemporary” auction in New York. The buyer, shrouded in mystery at first, was soon revealed to be Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, the global entertainment company famous for its museums of oddities and bizarre artifacts.
The golden toilet, weighing in at an impressive 101.2 kilograms (or about 223 pounds) of 18-carat gold, is not just a lavish art object but a piece with a storied—and, frankly, wild—history. According to BBC News, the original edition of America was installed in a public restroom at New York’s Guggenheim Museum in 2016. There, more than 100,000 visitors queued up for the unique privilege of using what quickly became the world’s most extravagant restroom fixture. The artwork was later moved to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, where it was dramatically stolen in a daring overnight heist in September 2019. The fate of that first golden throne remains a mystery to this day.
News of a second edition of the toilet surfaced in the years following the theft, culminating in its auction at Sotheby’s this November. The auction itself was a spectacle: as reported by ARTnews and Daily Star, the starting bid was set at the precise value of the gold used to craft it—about $10 million—reflecting both its artistic and commodity worth. In the end, the hammer fell after just a single bid, with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! paying the final price of $12.1 million, including premiums. Cryptocurrency was even accepted as a form of payment, a nod to the evolving landscape of high-value art sales.
The seller was none other than billionaire collector Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets and a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art. Cohen had acquired the toilet in 2017 from the Marian Goodman Gallery, though the price he paid wasn’t disclosed. As The New York Times noted, the golden toilet is now the most valuable object in Ripley’s collection, surpassing even their most outlandish oddities.
Ripley’s wasted no time in celebrating their acquisition. In a tongue-in-cheek Instagram post, the company declared, “This World Toilet Day, we’re flush with excitement! Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has purchased a solid gold toilet for $12.1 million!” They went on to highlight the artwork’s improbable journey, from dazzling Guggenheim visitors to its infamous disappearance at Blenheim Palace. “Believe It or Not!, that edition is still missing!” they quipped, before confirming that their new golden throne is the only fully fabricated edition known to exist.
As for what comes next, Ripley’s has big plans. According to statements shared across multiple outlets, including Far Out Magazine and ARTnews, the company intends to display the golden toilet publicly, giving guests a chance to get up close to what may be the world’s most extravagant bathroom fixture. But will visitors actually be allowed to use it? That’s still up in the air. “Ripley’s has purchased the only fully fabricated edition of the golden throne still known to exist, and we intend to keep this one from embarking on any unexpected adventures,” the company said. They added, “We’re exploring possibilities, but noted it requires serious planning and someone brave enough to ensure everything keeps flowing in the right direction.”
This is not the first time Maurizio Cattelan has made waves in the art world with his provocative creations. Often dubbed the “joker of the art world,” Cattelan is renowned for his satirical and sometimes absurd sculptures. His piece “Comedian”—a banana duct-taped to a wall—sparked a global debate about the value and meaning of art after it sold for up to $150,000 at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019. An edition of “Comedian” later sold for $6.2 million at Sotheby’s in 2024, according to the Daily Star. But it’s America that has arguably become his most infamous work, holding up “both a proverbial and literal mirror to the art world,” as Sotheby’s head of contemporary art David Galperin put it. “The work confronts the most uncomfortable questions about art, and the belief systems held sacred to the institutions of the market and the museum,” Galperin said.
The saga of the golden toilet is also a tale of high-profile crime and courtroom drama. The 2019 theft from Blenheim Palace made international headlines. Five men smashed their way into the palace, ripped the £4.8 million installation from its fittings, and fled in a stolen Volkswagen Golf. The aftermath saw a global manhunt and, eventually, convictions: James Sheen and Michael Jones, both from Oxford, were jailed in 2024 and 2025 for their roles in the heist, while Fred Doe from Windsor received a suspended sentence for conspiracy to transfer criminal property, BBC News reported. Authorities believe the stolen toilet was ultimately melted down and destroyed, making Ripley’s newly acquired edition all the more precious.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is no stranger to the spotlight or to headline-grabbing stunts. The company runs dozens of attractions worldwide, including museums, aquariums, and so-called “Odditoriums.” They made waves in 2022 by loaning Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress to Kim Kardashian for the Met Gala. Now, with the golden toilet as the crown jewel of their collection, Ripley’s is once again making headlines for blurring the line between spectacle and art.
As for where the golden throne will ultimately reside, Ripley’s has yet to reveal its plans. “Finding the unbelievable is our business. But even we never imagined we would one day need a plumber on standby for an art installation,” said John Corcoran, Ripley’s director of exhibits, as quoted by New York Times. For now, speculation swirls about whether guests will be able to “take the ultimate golden seat.” If Ripley’s history is any guide, whatever they decide will surely keep the world watching—and talking.
In a year of record-breaking art sales and headline-grabbing stories, the sale of Cattelan’s golden toilet stands out as a reminder that, sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction.
