A Dinosaur Fossil that Looks Like a Mini T. Rex Just Sold to a Mystery Buyer for a Giant $47 Million
Six bidders battled for more than 12 minutes as the nearly complete fossil nearly octupled its estimate and became the second-priciest dinosaur ever sold.
- On Tuesday, a 67-million-year-old Nanotyrannus skeleton named Jodi sold at Sotheby's New York for $47.3 million, surpassing the auction house's $9 million high estimate by more than five times.
- Discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson in the Hell Creek Formation, the skeleton was formerly known as Chomper before recent research confirmed it as a distinct genus rather than a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex.
- Stretching nearly 20 feet and considered almost 70% complete, the rare specimen is one of only three known Nanotyrannus skeletons, making it the second-priciest dinosaur fossil ever sold behind the $50.1 million record set by Gus.
- A mystery buyer purchased the fossil after outbidding five others during a roughly 12-minute live auction, an outcome Sotheby's head of science and natural history Cassandra Hatton said reflects commitment to preserving remarkable specimens.
- Paleontologists worry that scientifically important fossils are increasingly disappearing into private collections, though auction houses argue private investment funds essential excavation work, with critics maintaining such specimens should remain accessible to researchers and the public.
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A Nanotyrant skeleton was sold for over $47 million, one of the highest prices ever paid for a fossil. However, such transactions are met with criticism from the scientific community.
Rare dinosaur skeleton discovered in Montana sells for $47 million at auction
A rare dinosaur skeleton discovered in Montana has sold for $47 million at an auction in New York, making it the second most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction.Watch the video below: Rare dinosaur skeleton discovered in Montana sells for $47M at auctionThe skeleton, nicknamed "Jodi," sparked a 12-minute bidding battle before selling for the multimillion-dollar price.Montana rancher Jodi Pierson discovered the fossil in 2019. A team l…
The skeleton of a rare dinosaur has been auctioned for 47 million dollars (approximately over 42 million euros). This is the second-highest amount a fossil has ever fetched. Auction house Sotheby’s had expected it to fetch between 7 and 9 million dollars.
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