Current:Home > ScamsStegosaurus fossil fetches nearly $45M, setting record for dinosaur auctions -EquityExchange
Stegosaurus fossil fetches nearly $45M, setting record for dinosaur auctions
View
Date:2025-04-11 14:19:35
NEW YORK (AP) — The nearly complete fossilized remains of a stegosaurus fetched $44.6 million at auction Wednesday, Sotheby’s said. The buyer’s name was not disclosed.
The fossil, dubbed “Apex,” is considered to be among the most complete ever found, according to the auction house.
The price blew past a pre-sale estimate of $4 million to $6 million and past a prior auction record for dinosaur fossils — $31.8 million for the remains of a Tyrannosaurus rex nicknamed Stan, sold in 2020.
Apex “has now taken its place in history, some 150 million years since it roamed the planet,” said Cassandra Hatton, who heads Sotheby’s science-related business.
Dinosaur fossil sales stir some frustration among academic paleontologists who feel the specimens belong in museums or research centers that can’t afford huge auction prices.
Sotheby’s said the anonymous buyer is American and intends to look into loaning Apex to an institution in the U.S. The purchaser beat out six other bidders.
The stegosaurus was one of the world’s most distinctive dinosaurs, featuring pointy plates on its back. Hatton has called Apex “a coloring book dinosaur,” for its well-preserved features.
Eleven feet (3.3 meters) tall and 27 feet (8.2 meters) nose to tail, Apex was a big stegosaurus that lived long enough to show signs of arthritis, Sotheby’s said.
A commercial paleontologist named Jason Cooper discovered the fossil in 2022 on his property near, perhaps unsurprisingly, the town of Dinosaur, Colorado. The tiny community is near Dinosaur National Monument and the Utah border.
veryGood! (362)
Related
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- How 'Yo! MTV Raps' helped mainstream hip-hop
- Zoom's updated TOS prompted concerns about AI and privacy. Can the two go hand-in-hand?
- How common is nail biting and why do so many people do it?
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Illinois Supreme Court upholds state's ban on semiautomatic weapons
- In Maui, a desperate search for the missing; Lahaina warned of 'toxic' ash: Live updates
- Toyota recalls roughly 168,000 vehicles over fire risk
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- In deadly Maui wildfires, communication failed. Chaos overtook Lahaina along with the flames
Ranking
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Winning Time Los Angeles Lakers Style Guide: 24 Must-Shop Looks
- Linda Evangelista Gives Rare Insight Into Co-Parenting Bond With Salma Hayek
- Virginia player wounded in deadly attack returns for a new season as an inspiration to his teammates
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Niger’s junta gains upper hand over regional bloc threatening military force, analysts say
- Biden headed to Milwaukee a week before Republican presidential debate
- Russia downs 20 drones over Crimea following a spate of attacks on Moscow
Recommendation
Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
Lahaina residents worry a rebuilt Maui town could slip into the hands of affluent outsiders
As death toll from Maui fire reaches 89, authorities say effort to count the losses is just starting
Judge in Trump Jan. 6 case issues order limiting use of sensitive material
The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
The internet is furious at Ariana Grande. What that says about us.
Lahaina residents worry a rebuilt Maui town could slip into the hands of affluent outsiders
Q&A: Kelsea Ballerini on her divorce EP and people throwing things at concerts