A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed “Gus” sold at Sotheby’s in New York on July 14 for $50.1 million, the most ever paid for a dinosaur at auction, CNBC reports. The price blew past a $20 million to $30 million estimate after a 10-minute bidding war among seven bidders, CNBC says. Guinness World Records says the total includes the buyer’s premium, that the buyer chose to remain anonymous, and that Gus became the first dinosaur to pass $50 million at auction.
The previous record belonged to “Apex,” a Stegosaurus that Sotheby’s sold for $44.6 million in July 2024; CNBC identifies the buyer as hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin. Earlier record holders include “Stan,” a T. rex that sold at Christie’s for $31.8 million in 2020, CNBC says, and “Sue,” which fetched $8.36 million in 1997, according to Guinness.
Sotheby’s describes Gus as about 67 million years old and about 61% complete by bone count, with 183 fossil bone elements, a length of about 38 feet and a 54-inch skull, CNBC reports. In a July 16 editorial, Sotheby’s gives the same length and skull, a height of 12½ feet, and completeness of about 63% by bone count, representing 75% to 80% of the animal’s bone mass. Guinness says a team led by fossil hunter Thomas Heitkamp dug the bones on a ranch in Harding County, South Dakota, over three summers from 2021 to 2023, and that the nickname honors the late rancher Gary “Gus” Licking.
CNBC reports that paleontologists and other experts warn the fossil trade has few safeguards for authenticity or verification. Guinness calls an eventual museum display a strong possibility but cites no plan from the buyer.