Fifteen Oscars statuettes to be auctioned Furthermore, 'Cavalcade' is the earliest best picture Oscar to ever be offered in an auction. Oscars are increasingly rare finds at auction. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1950 introduced an agreement that banned winners from selling their Oscars to anyone but the Academy for the nominal sum of $1. The best picture Oscar for the 1939 film "Gone With the Wind" was sold to singer Michael Jackson in 1999 for a record $1.54 million. The 2012 Academy Awards will be handed out at a ceremony in Hollywood on Feb 26.