Ripley’s Believe It or Not, an entertainment franchise famous for collecting extraordinary oddities, has revealed itself as the buyer of Maurizio Cattelan’s notorious solid gold toilet sculpture titled "America." The fully functioning 18-karat gold toilet, weighing 223 pounds, was purchased for $12.1 million at Sotheby’s New York auction on November 18, 2025. This acquisition marks the most valuable and dazzling exhibit ever to join Ripley’s collection, highlighting its flair for headline-making and extreme artefacts.

Only Surviving Edition After Palace Heist

The gold toilet is the only fully fabricated edition still known to exist after another edition was stolen from Blenheim Palace, England, in 2019. Thieves smashed into the stately home and ripped out the solid gold toilet in an audacious raid. Investigations later revealed the stolen piece was likely melted down. The surviving edition now owned by Ripley's was consigned by billionaire collector and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who purchased it from Marian Goodman Gallery in 2017. The sculpture first captivated the public at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016, where over 100,000 visitors queued to use it as a fully operational restroom fixture.

Future Display Plans Under Consideration

Ripley’s has announced plans to display "America" at one of its Odditorium locations, although the exact venue remains undisclosed. The company is contemplating allowing visitors to use the functional toilet as they once did at the Guggenheim. However, Ripley’s acknowledges that such an experience requires meticulous planning and someone brave enough to keep everything flowing smoothly. John Corcoran, Director of Exhibits at Ripley’s, remarked on the unique challenges of exhibiting a golden restroom fixture, comically noting they might need a plumber on standby for the installation.