The fossilized skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex, nicknamed Gus, was sold at Sotheby’s in New York on Tuesday for $50.1m, El.kz reports.
The sale established a new record for the highest price ever paid at auction for dinosaur fossil remains.
The successful bid was placed by a telephone bidder, whose identity has not been disclosed. The final sale price substantially exceeded Sotheby’s pre-sale estimate of USD 20-30 mln.
The skeleton, judged to be one of the largest and most complete ever unearthed, was excavated on a ranch in Harding county, South Dakota, by the commercial fossil outfit Theropoda Expeditions.
The skeleton is estimated to be approximately 67 mln years old. It stands at 3.8 metres (12.5ft) tall and has been an attraction at the auction house’s new headquarters in New York.
Gus is regarded as one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever discovered. It comprises 183 fossilized bones and is approximately 61% complete based on the total number of skeletal elements.
Researchers identified evidence of bite marks and healed injuries on the bones. According to specialists, these findings may indicate encounters with other tyrannosaurs or reflect the predator’s harsh life history.
The sale has prompted debate within the paleontological community. Researchers have expressed concern that when scientifically significant fossil specimens enter private collections, access for research and scientific examination may become restricted.
The previous auction record was held by the Apex Stegosaurus specimen, which was sold at Sotheby’s in 2024 for USD 44.6 mln.
