The most expensive fossil in history: they buy the skeleton of a T-Rex for 50 million dollars
Until now the most valued skeleton was that of a stegosaurus that was auctioned for 44.6 million dollars two years ago
Sotheby's, the world's largest and oldest auction house for art and luxury items, has sold the skeleton of a tyrannosaurus rex for $50.1 million. The transaction took place this Tuesday after a bidding war between seven buyers that lasted nearly ten minutes, and the piece has become the most expensive fossil in history. Until now, the fossil that held this title was that of a stegosaurus, which was auctioned for $44.6 million two years ago.
The fossil is an almost complete skeleton of a T-Rex known as Gus, measuring 3.8 meters high and found in 2021 on private land in South Dakota, an area known for constant fossil finds.
Paleontologists, against private sale
The episode has sparked criticism from the paleontology sector, which has been reluctant to the private sale of specimens of high scientific value such as the Gus. According to numerous paleontologists, these fossils should be in accredited museums, universities, or public collections, to guarantee research and dissemination to the general public.
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) –Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, in English– has stated that fossils as "exceptionally complete" as the Gus "represent much more than simple rare collector's items" and insists that a large part of their value lies in the new analytical methods and new technologies that allow scientists to "ask completely unprecedented questions about specimens that were already part of museum collections".
Therefore, the private sale of these specimens closes the door to continuing to analyze and investigate them and, therefore, to forever lose the opportunity to find new discoveries about this stage of the world. Furthermore, the SVP emphasizes that "preserving the long-term scientific value of a fossil" goes far beyond the conservation of these private buyers, as it "requires careful documentation, professional conservation, and continued accessibility after discovery and excavation".