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Stegosaurus Skeleton Sets a New Record at Sotheby Auction
Sotheby’s in New York recently sold a stegosaurus skeleton for $44.6 million, setting a record sale for a dinosaur skeleton and exceeding the original estimates for the fossil.
The stegosaurus, named Apex, was excavated in Moffat County, Colorado between 2022 and 2023. This dinosaur fossil dates back during the Late Jurassic Period around 150 million years ago. The commercial paleontologist on the case, Jason Cooper, worked with Sotheby’s to ensure the sellability of the skeleton.
According to Sotheby’s, Apex stood at around 11 feet high and 27 feet long. It contained 254 fossil bone elements “with additional 3D printed and sculpted elements.” They psed the skeleton in an “attack position,” and uses individual holding brackets to make it easier to transport to and from different places.
Sotheby’s did not name the buyer’s identity, though the New York Times identified him as hedge fund billionaire Kenneth Griffin. In the press release from the auction house, they implied that the buyer will loan the skeleton to a U.S. institution to display.
“Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America!” Griffin reportedly said.
Beating Stan the T.rex
The sale beats the previous record holder, Stan the T.rex, which sold for $31.8 million by Christie’s auction house in 2020. Amateur paleontologist Stan Sacrison discovered Stan in 1987. At the time, the dinosaur fossil earned the title of the second most complete T.rex skeleton found with 199 bones.
The 39-foot skeleton includes one of the most well-preserved dinosaur skulls in existence. Stan’s whereabouts was unknown for years after the auction, worrying scientists about the loss of an important fossil.
A report in 2022, however, showed the fossil shipped to the United Arab Emirates in 2022 and earmarked for display at the Natural History Museum of Abu Dhabi.
“These are awe-inspiring gifts from nature that we are proud to share with the world — unlocking millions of years of knowledge to not only advance scientific discovery but to inspire our children to protect our planet’s future,” Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak from Abu Dhabi’s Department of Tourism and Culture said.
Commercialization of Fossils?
Sotheby’s expressed excitement over the record sale, with Global Head of Science & Popular Culture Cassandra Hatton calling it the “most valuable” fossil that “inspired bidders globally” to own and better preserve this skeleton.
“I am thrilled that such an important specimen has now taken its place in history, some 150 million years since it roamed the planet. This remarkable result underscores our unwavering commitment to preserving these ancient treasures,” she said.
The sale of Apex comes after a lull in dinosaur skeleton sales after Stan, whose record 2020 sale pushed auction houses towards attempting more record-breaking sales of fossils—and falling short largely due to controversies regarding authenticities of the fossils.
However, the current swatch of bidding over dinosaur skeletons continues to worry scientists around the world. Many believe that this will make fossils too expensive to be acquired by museums around the world. Others also questioned whether the money used for the buy-outs could be used for more scientific research.
“$44.6 million for a stegosaurus?” paleontologist Jingmai O’Connor said. “Sorry, the paleontologists around me are laughing. With $44 million to scientists, we could move forward our understanding of dinosaurs by decades.”
Related reading: Russian Billionaire Charged Double for Artwork, Accuses Sotheby’s of Fraud
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