Whenever Oscar nominations are announced, everyone will be so engrossed to see their favourite stars name on the most coveted awards of all time. There is no doubt that tons of stars vie for the highly coveted Academy Award. The award itself is one of the most iconic statuettes of all the awards shows.
Winning one can often lead to even bigger roles and sometimes, even higher pay on future projects. That is exactly why every artists at one time or other in their brief acting period, aim to do an Oscar worthy film. However, how much is the actual Oscar worth? Read to know more about the value of Oscar.
Read More: ‘Emancipation’ Director Defends Will Smith For His Oscar Slap Incident
What Is The Actual Worth Of An Oscar?
The “Oscars” may look like they are moulded in gold, but that golden glow is only skin deep. The statue, which stands 13.5 inches tall and weighs almost 4 kg, was first made in bronze and plated with gold. Now, however, the statues are made in metal and are gold plated. A 2017 video produced by Time Inc.’s personal finance company, Coinage, stated that the cost of making an Oscar statuette is around $400.
In 1929, the award made its debut as a knight figure and it was only in 1939 that the academy finalised “oscars” as the name for their awards. In 1928, collaborating sculptor George Stanley redesigned the statue and improved the knight figure. He reportedly modeled it after Mexican model and actor Emilio “El Indio” Fernández.
Read More: “It’s Insane To Me”: Why Did Mila Kunis Slam Oscars 2022 Attendees?
How Much Can An Oscar Fetch If It’s Sold?
According to the Academy, if someone were to sell the award it would only fetch $1. The regulations state that any academy award awarded after 1950 cannot be sold by its recipient or his or her heirs without first offering to sell it back to the Academy for $1. (What in the world?)
There are, however, those who used the loophole to make a tidy profit by selling the award statues from before 1950. An undisclosed buyer bought Orson Welles’ best original screenplay award for ‘Citizen Kane‘ at an auction in 2011. He paid $861,542. Welles had believed he lost the award for decades, but it resurfaced in 1994. After a custody battle, it was awarded to his daughter, Beatrice, after which the statue found its way to the auction.
Read More: Why Jane Fonda Once Gave Oscar Speech in Sign Language?
