Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has been revealed as the buyer of Maurizio Cattelan’s 18-karat gold toilet sculpture “America” (2016), which sold for $12.1 million at Sotheby’s “Now & Contemporary” auction on November 18, 2025. The work, consigned by billionaire collector and Mets owner Steve Cohen, hammered at $10 million after a single bid, just above the value of its raw gold. Sotheby’s had previously only identified the buyer as a “Famous American Brand.” Ripley’s announced the acquisition on Instagram, calling it the most valuable object in its collection and noting plans for public display, possibly allowing visitors to sit on the fully functional toilet.
The sale matters because it underscores the enduring market appeal of Cattelan’s provocative conceptual art, even when the price barely exceeds the material value of the gold. The work’s history—including its 2016 installation at the Guggenheim Museum, where over 100,000 visitors used it, and the theft of a second edition from Blenheim Palace in 2019—adds layers of cultural notoriety. Ripley’s acquisition also highlights how entertainment-oriented museums are increasingly competing for high-profile contemporary artworks, blurring the line between fine art and popular spectacle.