T rex skeleton auction raises concerns among scientists
7 reported
A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed "Gus" is set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York with an estimated sale price of $20m-$30m. The fossil, thought to be about 67 million years old, stands about 3.8 metres tall and was discovered on a ranch in Harding County, South Dakota, by Theropoda Expeditions. The auction has drawn criticism from several paleontologists who argue that private sales of fossils remove them from scientific study. Experts note that museums and universities are increasingly priced out of acquiring such specimens. Some scientists hope the buyer will donate or loan the fossil to a public institution. Sotheby’s has defended the excavation, stating that without private companies some fossils might never be recovered.
What’s reported
The T rex skeleton "Gus" is to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York with an estimated price of $20m-$30m.
The fossil is about 67 million years old and stands 3.8 metres tall.
It was discovered on a ranch in Harding County, South Dakota, by Theropoda Expeditions, with permission from landowner Gary "Gus" Licking.
The excavation took place over three years starting in 2021.
A stegosaurus called Apex holds the auction record, selling for $44.6m in 2024.
Scientists including Prof Richard Butler, Prof Stephen Brusatte, and Dr Thomas Carr expressed concerns about private fossil sales.
Sotheby’s defended the sale, saying private companies can recover fossils that might otherwise remain buried.
Key figures
Gary "Gus" Licking: landowner who died before excavation finished
Cole Jacobs: field prospector for Theropoda Expeditions
Prof Richard Butler: vertebrate palaeontologist at University of Birmingham
Prof Stephen Brusatte: University of Edinburgh
Prof Michael Benton: University of Bristol
Dr Thomas Carr: Carthage College, Wisconsin
Ken Griffin: billionaire hedge fund manager who bought Apex
Sources: The Guardian
