In brief
A nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex found in South Dakota was sold at Sotheby’s for £37.4 million ($50.1 million), beating the previous auction record. The 12‑foot skeleton, nicknamed Gus, has over 60 % of its bones recovered and is one of the most complete specimens ever discovered. The price reflects the extensive excavation and reconstruction work that took six years. While the buyer remains undisclosed, experts suggest his target could be a museum. The sale signals a new era for fossil collecting by ultra‑wealthy collectors.
A 67‑million‑year‑old Tyrannosaurus rex has sold for £37.4 million ($50.1 million) at Sotheby's in New York, making it the most expensive dinosaur ever sold.
The "Gus" fossil stands over 12 feet (4 m) tall, and with more than 60 % of its bones recovered, it ranks among the most complete T. rex specimens discovered to date.
Discovered in 2021 on a remote ranch in South Dakota, the skeleton underwent a painstaking recovery that spanned three summers and an additional three years of laboratory reconstruction.
Experts note that the bones reveal healed bite marks and rib fractures, indicating a life of danger and possible encounters with other dinosaurs.
While the winning bidder has not been named, former auctioneer Cassandra Hatton mentioned that the price reflects the substantial time and resources invested in excavating, preparing, and curating the specimen.
Comparatively, the sale surpassed the 2024 record for a stegosaurus that had previously sold for fewer than £37 million. Some scientists argue that the auction may herald a new era in fossil collecting by the ultra‑wealthy.
Notably, the stegosaurus that broke the former record went on loan to the American Museum of Natural History for four years through billionaire Kenneth Griffin. If Gus turns out to be another museum‑ready specimen, it could soon be displayed near you.
