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Want to own a real T. rex? It could cost you $30 million
NPR • • general
Key Points:
- The Tyrannosaurus rex fossil named "Gus" will be auctioned at Sotheby's New York with a starting bid of $19 million and an estimated sale price of $20 to $30 million.
- Discovered in Harding County, South Dakota, in 2021, Gus is one of the largest and most complete T. rex specimens, measuring 38 feet long and believed to be from about 67 million years ago.
- The fossil was excavated from private land owned by Gary "Gus" Licking, who passed away before seeing the skeleton fully assembled; nearly a thousand pieces were collected during the excavation.
- High-profile dinosaur fossil sales have increased in recent years, with record prices such as the $44.6 million sale of the stegosaurus "Apex" in 2024, reflecting growing market demand.
- Paleontologists caution that the large sums spent on fossils at auction could instead be invested in research programs at public museums to support scientific discovery and education.
