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Dinosaur fossil, 'Gus', becomes most expensive in history at $50.1 million
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Culture & Society

Dinosaur fossil, 'Gus', becomes most expensive in history at $50.1 million

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, nicknamed 'Gus', sold for $50.1 million at a Sotheby's auction, setting a new record for a dinosaur fossil.
  • The fossil, over four meters tall, is more than 60% complete and was discovered in South Dakota in 2021.
  • The sale has sparked debate among scientists about a potential new trend of fossil collecting by the ultra-wealthy, with some criticizing the private ownership of such specimens.

A fossilized Tyrannosaurus rex, affectionately named 'Gus,' has shattered records, fetching an astonishing $50.1 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York. This sale marks the highest price ever paid for a dinosaur fossil, highlighting the immense value placed on these ancient specimens.

The T. rex fossil, dating back 67 million years, stands over four meters tall and is remarkably complete, with more than 60 percent of its skeletal structure recovered. Discovered in 2021 on a remote ranch in South Dakota, USA, 'Gus' is considered one of the most complete T. rex specimens ever found. Sotheby's described the fossil as having been excavated, prepared, and curated with exceptional quality.

Gus is not only an extraordinary find, but it is also a specimen that has been excavated, documented, prepared and curated to an exceptionally high standard.

— Cassandra HattonSotheby's Global Head of Natural History Sciences described the quality of the 'Gus' T. rex fossil.

The record-breaking sale surpassed the previous world record held by the Apex Stegosaurus fossil, which sold in 2024. This event has led some scientists to suggest it may herald a new era of fossil collecting among the wealthy elite. However, the sale has also drawn criticism from paleontologists who express concern over the increasing trend of private ownership of significant scientific specimens.

Sotheby's Head of Natural History, Cassandra Hatton, noted that the United States is unique in treating such fossils as private property, dependent on land ownership. The excavation of 'Gus' took place over three summers, from 2021 to 2023, with an additional three years required in the lab for detailed reconstruction. The preparation revealed evidence of bite marks on the skull and healed fractures on some ribs, offering glimpses into the dinosaur's life.

The United States is the only country in the world that considers fossils like this private property. If you own the land, you own the fossils and you have the right to sell them. So, if anyone wants to own a dinosaur, this is the only place in the world that allows that.

— Cassandra HattonSotheby's Head of Natural History explained the legal context of fossil ownership in the US prior to the auction.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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