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A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, considered one of the largest and most complete specimens ever found, sold at Sotheby's for a record $50.1 million, the Associated Press reported.
According to the auction house, the specimen, dubbed "Gus," became the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction. It surpassed the previous record, set in 2024, when a Stegosaurus skeleton sold for nearly $45 million. Previously, the highest price was held by a Tyrannosaurus skeleton named "Stan," which sold in 2020 for $32 million.
The fossil is estimated to be approximately 67 million years old. The skeleton is approximately 61% preserved, including a well-preserved skull, two feet, and a number of rare bones. It stands approximately 3.8 meters tall and 11.5 meters long.
The remains were discovered in 2021 on a ranch in the US state of South Dakota and were named "Goose" after the property's owner, Gary Licking.
Before the auction, the lot was estimated to fetch between $20 and $30 million. The auction was won by an anonymous bidder, who participated by telephone and outbid six competitors in a ten-minute bidding war.
Following the auction, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology urged the new owner to donate the unique specimen to the museum, emphasizing its high scientific value and the importance of making it accessible to researchers.
The organization also recalled that other record-breaking dinosaur specimens, including the stegosaurus "Apex" and the tyrannosaurs "Sue" and "Stan," were previously donated to major museums in the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
