A fearsome T.rex that once ruled the Earth has found itself at the centre of a very modern battle – between scientists and the super–rich.
One of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons ever discovered fetched over $50 million (£37 million) at auction today, making it the most expensive ever sold.
The specimen, nicknamed ‘Gus’, lay undiscovered in the ground in South Dakota‘s Hell Creek Formation for 67 million years until it was excavated by a private company in 2021.
At 61 per cent complete, the ‘outstanding’ fossil features an exceptionally preserved skull and even signs of bite marks from another prehistoric beast.
The towering skeleton would be the centrepiece of almost any natural history museum.
But now the ready–mounted specimen, which stands an impressive 12.5ft (3.8m) tall, belongs to a private owner who triumphed during a hefty bidding war at Sotheby’s auction.
The sale has generated uproar from palaeontologists, who say the prehistoric giant could now be beyond the reach of researchers.
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology has released a statement emphasizing that specimens of this scientific importance ‘represent far more than rare collectibles’.
One of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons ever discovered fetched over $50 million (£37 million) at auction today
The towering skeleton would be the centrepiece of almost any natural history museum. The ready–mounted specimen stands an impressive 12.5ft (3.8m) tall
At 61 per cent complete, the ‘outstanding’ fossil features an exceptionally preserved skull (pictured)
‘Our longstanding position is that scientifically significant vertebrate fossils should be permanently curated in accredited museums, universities, and other public research institutions where they remain available for scientific investigation, education, and public exhibition,’ it said.
The society pointed out that many of the most significant scientific advances in palaeontology have come years after a fossil was collected.
‘Modern research techniques, including high–resolution CT imaging, geochemical analyses, and molecular investigations are still revealing new information from fossils collected more than a century ago,’ it added.
‘Because these historic specimens have remained in public collections, researchers have been able to revisit them repeatedly as scientific methods have evolved.
‘The same opportunity should remain available for scientifically important fossils discovered today.
‘As the commercial market for exceptional dinosaur fossils continues to grow, museums and universities face increasing challenges acquiring specimens of the greatest scientific importance.
‘When these fossils enter private ownership without provisions for long–term access, opportunities for future research, education, and public engagement may be permanently diminished.’
It concluded: ‘The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology encourages fossil finders, auction houses, and prospective buyers to work with accredited public institutions to ensure that scientifically significant fossils remain permanently available for scientific study and for the benefit of everyone.’
The specimen, nicknamed ‘Gus’, laid undiscovered in the ground in South Dakota’s Hell Creek Formation for 67 million years until it was excavated by a private company in 2021
‘Gus’, a mounted Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, one of the largest T. rex ever found, is pictured during a press preview at the Sotheby’s Breuer building in New York, on July 1
Professor Richard Butler, a vertebrate palaeontologist at the University of Birmingham, described the sale as ‘very concerning’, adding that fossils not kept in a recognised museum collection are ‘lost to research’.
Meanwhile Professor Stephen Brusatte, from the University of Edinburgh, said there is ‘little that scientists, museums or universities’ can do when the fossils fetch such high prices.
Experts at Sotheby’s have defended the excavation of Gus by a private outfit, suggesting that without such companies some dinosaurs may never be removed from the ground.
Its price, they say, is a reflection of the importance of the fossilised remains and the efforts required to recover them.
