A groundbreaking auction at Sotheby’s in New York City saw a colossal dinosaur skeleton, a stegosaurus nicknamed Apex, sell for a record-breaking $44.6 million (£34 million).
This purchase makes it the most expensive fossil ever sold at auction.
Standing at 11 feet (3.4 meters) tall and spanning 27 feet from snout to tail, Apex is considered one of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever unearthed, according to Sotheby’s.
The identity of the buyer remains a mystery, but they declared, “Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America,” suggesting a possible loan to a US museum or institution.
The discovery of this remarkable fossil occurred in 2022, when paleontologist Jason Cooper stumbled upon it near the aptly named town of Dinosaur in Colorado. Cooper christened the stegosaurus “Apex” due to its impressive size, which would have made it a dominant force in its prehistoric environment.
Sotheby’s described the sale as a historic event, stating, “The finest stegosaurus to appear at auction, ‘Apex’ has made history today selling for $44.6 million at Sotheby’s to become the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.”
The bidding process, which lasted 15 minutes, captivated seven buyers, ultimately exceeding pre-sale estimates by a staggering 11 times.
The fossil’s journey back in time dates to the Late Jurassic Period, approximately 150 million years ago, when Apex roamed the Earth.
This sale surpasses the previous record held by the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton named Stan, which fetched $31.8 million in 2020.
