Clayton Moore’s ‘The Lone Ranger’ Hat Fetches Over $300,000 at Auction

A piece of early TV history has been sold in an auction celebrating some of the most unforgettable props from television and film history.

The Stetson hat worn by Clayton Moore in promotional appearances as the titular masked vigilante in The Lone Ranger was among the items sold on day one of Propstore’s Los Angeles Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction on Thursday, Sept. 4.

The iconic accessory from the beloved Western, a white beaver-felt size 6 3⁄4 Stetson hat originally a part of Moore’s personal collection, was sold for $302,400. The sale far surpassed the sale estimate, which predicted the item would go for between $8,000 and $16,000.

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More than 600 additional items — including Moore’s personal The Lone Ranger costume — was up for bid during the three-day auction, which ran from Sept. 4 to Sept. 6.

After the series finale in 1957, Moore continued to make public appearances while dressed as the masked hero, doing so for more than 40 years. This costume was designed by renowned fashion designer Manuel Cuevas, based directly on the original production costumes from the series and assembled for Moore.

Also included in the lot was a copy of Moore’s autobiography, I Was That Masked Man, and promotional postcards autographed by Moore.

The Lone Ranger aired from 1949 to 1957, coming to television after radio success. The show was ABC’s first-ever television series and also the first made-for-TV western altogether.

Moore portrayed the hero in the show’s first two seasons. He was replaced by John Hart in season 3, only to return for the show’s final two seasons. The final season was notable because it was the only season shot in color.

While the actor had countless credits to his name, he said in his autobiography that none of them meant to him what being The Lone Ranger did. “There was a clear difference between just playing a part and actually inhabiting a role. The Lone Ranger offered so much to me that I couldn’t find anywhere else,” he wrote.

The Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction ran from Sept. 4 to Sept. 6 in Los Angeles and was also live-streamed.