Record-Breaking T. rex Skeleton Sold for $50.1 Million

A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, known as Gus, was sold for $50.1 million at a New York auction, achieving a new record for dinosaur fossils. The auction, managed by Sotheby’s, saw the towering T. rex, standing 12.5 feet tall and about 38 feet long, become the most valuable dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction.

Comprising 183 bones alongside rare rib specimens, the fossil is one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons discovered to date. Gus was sold as a fully mounted structure, ready for exhibit use.

The previous record was set two years ago when a stegosaurus nicknamed Apex sold for almost $45 million, which well exceeded the $4 to $6 million estimate at the time. Gus was initially estimated to bring in $20 to $30 million, but it surpassed expectations with just a 10-minute bidding session involving only seven bidders.

Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice chair, praised the auction’s outcome as a culmination of years of work. The excavation led by Thomas Heitkamp unearthed Gus in Harding County, South Dakota, on land belonging to the late Gary ‘Gus’ Licking, after whom the T. rex is named.

This T. rex dates back approximately 67 million years to the late Cretaceous period. Its discovery at the Hell Creek Formation aligns with several other notable dinosaur finds in the area known for its rich fossil deposits.

Such discoveries are rare, as noted by Sotheby’s, with only 32 T. rex skeletons found since the first one in 1902. Only two prior to Gus were at least 60% complete—Sue at the Chicago Field Museum and Stan at the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi. Gus boasts a 61% completion rate and includes an exceptionally preserved skull.

Dana Licking, widow of Gary Licking, expressed excitement over the future enjoyment of Gus by others, noting the historical significance of their land.