What! The ‘America’ Sculpture Sold for Just This Much? Which Billionaire Bought the Gold Toilet?

Maurizio Cattelan’s “Golden Toilet,” made of 18-carat pure gold, has finally been sold for a staggering 12.1 million dollars at Sotheby’s. Weighing 223 pounds, this iconic artwork was earlier displayed at the Guggenheim Museum, and its second version was stolen in 2019.

Golden Toilet

Among the world’s strangest, most controversial, and most talked-about artworks, the 18-carat solid gold toilet created by renowned Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, has at last been sold at a record-breaking price. Cattelan named this artwork “America.”

At Sotheby’s New York auction on Tuesday evening, the toilet was sold for 12.1 million USD, which is over 121 crore INR.

Let us tell you — this toilet is not just a decorative showpiece; it is a fully functional working toilet. It weighs around 101 kilograms, and was created in 2016. Sotheby’s described it as the most luxurious ‘bathroom break’ in the history of art.

A Worldwide Sensation

This artwork was first displayed in 2016 at the Guggenheim Museum, New York. The most astonishing feature was that it was not only for display — people were allowed to use it.

More than 100,000 visitors used the golden toilet and experienced “luxury” in the most literal sense.

According to available information, Maurizio Cattelan created not one… not two… but three golden toilets, but as per Sotheby’s, only one original version now survives.

The second version was stolen in 2019 from Blenheim Palace, UK. Since it was connected to a full working plumbing system, its theft became international news.

This month, Sotheby’s exhibited the surviving golden toilet in the Breuer Building, where people viewed the iconic shine and intricate golden surface from up close.

Who Bought It at the Auction?

After the record bid, this unique artwork was purchased by the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum. It is believed that the toilet will now be displayed at various Ripley’s museums across the world.

According to Lucius Elliott, Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art, this toilet is like a mirror in which the viewer can see their reflection shining.

He said:

“It looks like a toilet… but it is something entirely different. Its shine, its weight, and its design combine satire and art in a unique way.”

The opening bid was set roughly equal to the actual value of the gold used — nearly 10 million USD.

Another Controversial Artwork by Cattelan?

Maurizio Cattelan is globally known for his extraordinary, thought-provoking artworks.

In 2024, another one of his creations — ‘Comedian’ — featuring a real banana taped to a wall, was sold at Sotheby’s for 6.24 million USD. It was purchased by Justin Sun, the founder of the crypto platform TRON.

Why Is This Golden Toilet So Special?

1. Made of 18-carat solid gold and fully functional

2. A satire on society, capitalism, and power symbols

3. A rare artwork that allowed public use

4. Became globally infamous after being stolen

5. Only one authentic version now exists

Let it be clear — this golden toilet is not just a luxury object. It is an extraordinary example of satire, commentary, and performance in modern art.

By selling for 121 crore INR, it once again proves that in the world of artists, imagination and price both have no limits.