A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton known as "Gus" sold for $50.1 million (roughly €44 million) at Sotheby's in New York on Tuesday, setting a new record for a dinosaur fossil at auction.

The sale followed a tense 10-minute bidding battle involving seven bidders and ended with an anonymous purchaser.

Before Tuesday's sale, the record for the most expensive dinosaur fossil was held by Apex, a Stegosaurus skeleton that sold for $44.6 million at Sotheby's in 2024.

Discovered in 2021 on a South Dakota cattle ranch owned by the late Gary "Gus" Licking, the fossil was named in his honor. The skeleton measures 38 feet (11.6 meters) in length and dates to the Late Cretaceous period, about 67 million years ago.

Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's vice chairman and global head of science and natural history, said ahead of the auction that "Gus is one of the biggest and most complete T. rex ever found," highlighting its completeness, quality, size, and preservation.

The record highlights a growing market for dinosaur fossils, though some scientists warn against specimens being held in private collections.

Source: www.dw.com