Dinosaur fossil breaks auction record, surpassing Stan, a T Rex skeleton

In a historic auction celebrated by Sotheby’s In New York, the stegosaurus skeleton The most complete ever found, dating back some 150 million years, fetched an astonishing price of $44.6 million. This record sets a new milestone in the sale of dinosaur fossilsunderlining the exceptional value of “Apex“.

The auction was marked by intense telephone competition, culminating in a burst of applause when the hammer came down. The price of $44.6 million, which includes the commission of Sotheby’s and the taxesfar exceeded the initial estimate of between $4 and $6 million.

The buyer, whose identity was not revealed, paid a figure that eclipses the previous record of $31.8 million set by the T. Rex skeleton “Stan” in October 2020.

At 3.3 meters high and 8 meters long, “Apex” presents 254 original fossil bone elements of the approximately 319 that he had in life. Experts point out that this Stegosaurus was a large and robust adultevidenced by the size and development of his bones and the presence of arthritis in the vertebrae. Researchers believe he died of old age, with no signs of fighting and no other fossils close.

Impressions of its rough skin were recorded in the fossilized earth where it rested, providing valuable information about its appearance and living conditions.

According to Cassandra Hatton, head of Sotheby’s Science and Popular Culture section, “Apex“He probably died curled up with his tail curled under his body, in a posture similar to that of an old and tired animal ready to sleep forever.

“Apex“It is the most complete known stegosaur, famous for its dorsal armor that extends from the neck to the tail, a distinctive feature of the dinosaurs armored or thyreophoran. It was discovered in May 2022 on a paleontologist’s land in Dinosaur, Colorado, within the Morrison Formation. This Jurassic geological zone extends across the western United States, spanning from Montana to Arizona and from Utah to Colorado.

The possibility of selling a fossil as “Apex“It only occurs in the United States, where finds on private land belong to the property owner and not the State, unlike in most countries.

This means that fossils of this magnitude can be auctioned off and acquired by private collectors.