“Gus”, a mounted Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, one of many largest T. rex ever discovered, is pictured throughout a press preview on the Sotheby’s Breuer constructing in New York, on July 1, 2026.
Timothy A. Clary | Afp | Getty Photos
A Tyrannosaurus rex specimen offered at Sotheby’s for $50.1 million, turning into the most costly dinosaur ever offered at public sale.
Driving a increase in dinosaur costs at public sale, the T. rex, named “Gus,” blew previous its worth estimate of $20 million to $30 million after a 10-minute bidding conflict between seven bidders. It broke the document sale by Sotheby’s of a Stegosaurus skeleton nicknamed “Apex” in 2024 for $44.6 million, purchased by billionaire hedge funder Ken Griffin.
Gus was found in South Dakota and is about 67 million years previous. Touted as one of the crucial full dinosaur specimens ever discovered, Gus has 183 fossil bone components and is about 61% full by bone rely. It’s about 38 toes lengthy, about 12.5 toes tall and has a cranium size of 54 inches, making it one of many largest T. rex fossils ever discovered, in accordance with Sotheby’s.
Gus additionally displayed a lot of accidents, together with fractured and healed bones in a number of ribs and gastralia, in addition to chunk marks to a number of cranium bones.
“Gus shouldn’t be solely an distinctive discover, however a specimen that is been excavated, documented, ready and cared for with actual excellence,” mentioned Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice chairman and worldwide head of science and pure historical past.
Dinosaur fossils have turn out to be one of many quickest rising segments of the collectibles market, as the rich seek for uncommon shops of long-term worth and public sale homes look to classes past artwork to diversify their gross sales. A T. rex named “Stan” offered at Christie’s in 2020 for $31.8 million.
Whereas the success of Gus is prone to encourage the sale of extra dinosaur bones, paleontologists and different specialists warn that there are few safeguards for authenticity or verification within the business.
