A rare Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed "Gus" has become the world's most expensive fossil sold at auction after fetching a record $50.13 million at Sotheby's in New York, reported by CNN.
The sale surpassed the previous auction record of $44.6 million set by the Stegosaurus fossil Apex in 2024. The winning bid exceeded the presale estimate of $20 million to $30 million.
The report said the sale has renewed concerns among paleontologists, who argue that scientifically valuable fossils entering private collections may become inaccessible for future research.
The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed. Attention is now focused on whether the new owner will make the fossil available for scientific study or public display.
Related Tweet:
Bone by bone, day by day. It's taken half a decade to fully assemble Gus the T. Rex, and tomorrow, the 67-million-year-old specimen officially goes under the hammer at #SothebysNewYork. From excavation and identification to restoration and mounting, bringing together one of the… pic.twitter.com/AlrGjc1aul
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) July 13, 2026
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