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12 sources·Started 16d ago·Updated 12d ago
T. rex 'Gus' sells for record $50.1 million at Sotheby's auction
GusSotheby'sGary LickingHell Creek FormationStanApexKen GriffinSue
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A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed 'Gus' has become the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction, fetching $50.1 million at Sotheby's in New York on Tuesday. The price far exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $20–30 million after a 10-minute bidding war between seven competitors. The winning bidder remains anonymous. Source: AP
The specimen
Gus was discovered in 2021 on a South Dakota ranch owned by the late Gary 'Gus' Licking, after whom it is named. It is one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons, measuring 38 feet long and 12.5 feet tall. The skeleton comprises 183 fossil bone elements, making it about 61% complete by bone count (some sources say 63%), and includes rare gastralia and a furcula. Source: CNN, Gizmodo The previous record was held by Apex, a Stegosaurus that sold for $44.6 million in 2024. Source: NPR
Concerns over private ownership
Paleontologists have expressed concern that Gus may now be lost to science if it remains in private hands. 'A fossil not in a recognised museum collection cannot be studied and is therefore lost to research,' said Professor Richard Butler of the University of Birmingham. Source: The Guardian The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology urged the buyer to donate the specimen to a public institution. Source: AP However, some auctioned fossils have later been displayed publicly, such as Stan at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. Source: Gizmodo
Story timeline · 8 earlier headlines
- T. rex fossil 'Gus' heads to auction with $30 million estimate15d ago · 4 sources
- T. rex fossil 'Gus' to be auctioned at Sotheby's, could set record15d ago · 4 sources
- Gus the T. rex: $30m fossil auction sparks scientific debate14d ago · 4 sources
- Gus the T. rex could become most expensive fossil at Sotheby's auction14d ago · 5 sources
- T. rex fossil Gus sells for record $50.1 million at Sotheby's auction13d ago · 5 sources
- T. rex Fossil 'Gus' Sells for Record $50.1 Million at Sotheby's Auction13d ago · 6 sources
- T. rex 'Gus' sells for record $50.1 million at Sotheby's auction13d ago · 5 sources
- Gus the T. rex Sells for Record $50.1 Million at Auction13d ago · 5 sources
- T. rex 'Gus' sells for record $50.1 million at Sotheby's auctioncurrent
Sources
5 quotesAP↗
“Sotheby's said the 67-million-year-old fossil, nicknamed 'Gus,' is now the most expensive set of dinosaur bones ever auctioned off, besting the almost $45 million price tag for a nearly complete stegosaurus sold by the same New York auction house in 2024.”
NPR↗
“Standing upright with its tail extended and right foot slightly raised, 'Gus' is an adult dinosaur specimen measuring about 12 ½ feet (3.8 meters) tall and 38 feet (11.5 meters) long.”
CNN↗
“Paleontologists generally believe that once a fossil ends up in private hands, it is lost to science. Scientific journals will only publish research conducted on specimens held in publicly accessible collections.”
The Guardian↗
“A fossil not in a recognised museum collection cannot be studied and is therefore lost to research. Fossils have been bought and sold for hundreds of years, but prices are increasingly out of the reach of museums, much to the detriment of science.”
Gizmodo↗
“Though some independent researchers have reportedly examined Gus, according to Theropoda Expeditions, no formal research has been published on the skeleton as of yet.”