A fossil of a nearly complete stegosaurus skeleton named Apex was sold at auction in New York Wednesday for a record $44.6 million, The BBC and The New York Times report.
Sue, a T rex at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History (Anders Sandberg/Flickr Creative Commons)The skeleton measures about 11 feet high and 27 feet long. It was sold to an anonymous buyer, although the Times reported from an anonymous source that the buyer was Kenneth Griffin, the hedge fund billionaire. The BBC quoted him saying, “Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America.”
That statement may indicate that the buyer intends to loan the skeleton to a US museum or other institution. With its characteristic back plates, the dinosaur walked the Earth some 150 million years ago in Colorado.
Before this, the record price paid for a dinosaur skeleton was a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, “Stan,” which was sold for $31.8 million in 2020. “Sue,” one of the most complete and well-preserved T rex skeletons, was sold at Sotheby’s for $8.36 million to the Field Museum in Chicago, with financial support from McDonald’s, Walt Disney World Resort, and private individuals.
Other notable dinosaur fossils sold include a unique fossil featuring a T rex and a triceratops locked in what appears to be a final battle, which was sold for an undisclosed sum and is now at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and “Big John the Triceratops,” the largest known triceratops skeleton, which was sold for about $7.7 million at an auction in Paris in 2021.
Over the past few decades, the prices of dinosaur skeletons have generally increased. Growing interest from private collectors, museums, and even celebrities has increased prices. Factors influencing the prices include:
- Scientific Significance: Specimens that contribute significantly to paleontological research or understanding tend to command higher prices.
- Rarity and Completeness: Skeletons that are more complete and belong to rarer species also result in higher prices.
- Public Interest: And media coverage and public fascination with dinosaurs also drive up the price paid for skeletons.
