Michael Jackson's "Thriller" Jacket Is Heading to Auction While Paris Jackson Fights the Estate in Court

Michael Jackson’s legendary red“Thriller”jacket is officially going up for auction. Julien’s Auctions will sell the signed calfskin jacket along with a rhinestone glove, black Florsheim loafers, and the“Moonwalk”loafers from December 7-9 at Rosewood Abu Dhabi. The jacket last sold in 2011 for $1.8 million to Texas businessman Milton Verret, and it was originally gifted to costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush after being autographed by Jackson himself.

The timing is complicated. While the memorabilia heads to the auction block, Paris Jackson is still in an ongoing legal dispute with estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain over finances and legal fees. She won a ruling in May 2026 ordering $625,000 in unapproved bonuses returned to the estate, and the battle over an estate valued at over a billion dollars continues. Fans online are deeply divided, with some calling for a museum to step in.

So the big question is whether iconic pieces of music history should ever be sold to private collectors at all, or if they belong somewhere the public can experience them. The answer probably depends on whether you see this as preserving a legacy or cashing in on it. Where do you land? Drop your take in the comments.