T. Rex Fossil Gus Sells for Record $50.1 Million Amidst Debate
A Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, nicknamed Gus, sold at Sotheby’s for $50.1 million, setting a new auction record for a dinosaur fossil. This exceptionally complete and large specimen, excavated in South Dakota, was presented as an exhibition-ready mounted skeleton. While its sale price far exceeded pre-auction estimates, concerns were raised by paleontologists regarding the impact of private ownership on scientific research. Despite these concerns, the auction appears legal due to regulations in the United States allowing landowners to retain discovered fossils.
John Q. Hosedrinker