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Dinosaur skeleton sells for over $50 million, setting new record
🇫🇮 Finland /Culture & Society

Dinosaur skeleton sells for over $50 million, setting new record

From Helsingin Sanomat · () Finnish

Translated from Finnish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, nicknamed Gus, sold for over $50 million at a New York auction, becoming the most expensive fossil ever sold.
  • The fossil, discovered in 2021, is 61% complete by bone count and approximately 75-80% by mass, with a well-preserved skull.
  • Paleontologists express concern that the high prices are making fossils inaccessible for scientific research, as private ownership prevents study.

A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, known as "Gus," fetched a record-breaking price of over $50 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York, making it the most expensive fossil ever sold. Discovered in 2021 on land owned by Gary "Gus" Licking, the fossilized remains represent one of the largest T. rex specimens ever found, measuring 11 meters long and 3.8 meters high.

A fossil that is not in a recognized museum collection cannot be studied. It is lost to research.

— Richard ButlerProfessor Richard Butler of the University of Birmingham expressed concern about the scientific implications of private fossil ownership.

The nearly 67-million-year-old fossil is remarkably complete, with 61% of its bones intact and 75-80% of its mass preserved. The skull alone is about 82% complete, and the presence of both legs is a rare feature. This specimen's completeness and condition contributed to its unprecedented auction price.

Fossils have been bought and sold for hundreds of years, but prices are increasingly out of reach for museums, which is detrimental to science.

— Richard ButlerProfessor Richard Butler commented on the rising costs of fossils and their impact on scientific accessibility.

However, the sale has sparked concern among paleontologists. Professor Richard Butler of the University of Birmingham noted that fossils in private collections cannot be studied, effectively losing their scientific value. He stated that while fossils have been traded for centuries, escalating prices are pushing them beyond the reach of museums and researchers, hindering scientific progress. Paleontologist Thomas Carr echoed these concerns, highlighting that museum loans, while a partial solution, are problematic as owners can withdraw specimens at any time, disrupting ongoing research.

Museum loans are problematic because the owner may withdraw their fossils at any time.

— Thomas CarrAssistant Professor Thomas Carr of Carthage College explained the difficulties associated with private fossil ownership for research purposes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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