Ripley’s bought Cattelan’s gold toilet "America" for $12.1M at a Nov. 18 auction, the last surviving version after another was stolen and melted.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! has acquired Maurizio Cattelan’s 18-karat gold toilet sculpture, "America," for $12.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction on November 18, 2025. The artwork, originally created in 2016 and previously displayed in New York and London, is the last surviving version after another was stolen and melted in 2019. The acquisition, made by the global entertainment company under The Jim Pattison Group, adds a controversial and iconic piece to Ripley’s collection of unusual exhibits. The company plans to display the functional sculpture in one of its venues, though it has not yet decided if the public will be allowed to use it, noting the need for maintenance and a "brave" individual to keep it operational.