T. rex skeleton sold for $50.1M at Sotheby's auction
The 67-million-year-old skeleton is now the world's most valuable dinosaur.
Gus, a 67-million-year-old T. rex skeleton, sold for $50.1 million at an auction on Tuesday, setting a world record price for a dinosaur sold at auction, according to Sotheby's.
The sale price surpassed the estimated $20-30 million the auction house had expected the skeleton to go for. Bidding began at $19 million.
A bidding battle among seven bidders lasted 10 minutes, according to a Sotheby's press release.
Gus is now the world's most valuable dinosaur, breaking the previous record set by a stegosaurus skeleton called Apex, which was sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2024, according to the release. Apex went for $44.6 million.
According to Sotheby's, Gus is one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever discovered. The skeleton is roughly 61% complete by bone elements and 75-80% complete by bone mass. One hundred and eighty-three fossil bone elements make up the dinosaur.
In addition to it being one of the most complete, it is one of the largest T. rex skeletons ever found, Sotheby's said. The dinosaur stands about 12.5 feet tall and approximately 38 feet long.
Gus's skull is well-preserved, with 82% of its bones represented, Sotheby's said.
Gus was discovered in 2021 in Harding County, South Dakota, in the northwest corner of the state. It was excavated over the course of five years, according to the auction house.
The skeleton was transported to New York and went on display for public viewing at the Breuer building from July 1-14 before the auction.
"This is our longest-term project ever," Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman and worldwide head of science and natural history at Sotheby's, said in a press video. "From the day that the first bone was discovered, we've been going back and forth to South Dakota to oversee this whole process, and finally, we're about to bring it to the public."
Gus was named for Gary Licking, the rancher whose land the skeleton was found on. Licking died away before the completion of the project, according to Sotheby's.
Sotheby's natural history auction includes numerous other fossils and items up for sale. It began at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
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