The Stegosaurus Apex skeleton has set a new record as the most expensive fossil ever sold at auction. On Wednesday, the magnificent specimen sold for $44.6 million at Sotheby's in New York, well above its pre-auction estimate of $4 million to $6 million.
Discovered by commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper in 2022 on private land in Moffat County, Colorado, Apex was well preserved in hard sandstone that prevented the bones from warping. The 11-foot-tall and nearly 27-foot-long skeleton consists of 254 fossilized bony elements out of an estimated 319, indicating it was a robust adult dinosaur. There is also evidence that the dinosaur may have suffered from arthritis, meaning it lived to a very old age.
Despite the commercial success, some paleontologists argue that such significant fossils should be displayed in museums rather than sold to private collectors. Steve Brusatt, professor of palaeontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, expressed concern that specimens important for study could end up in private collections, thus limiting public access and educational opportunities.
However, the anonymous buyer who purchased Apex has expressed interest in potentially loaning the skeleton to a US institution, ensuring it remains available for educational purposes.
The Apex sale is not Sotheby's first high-profile dinosaur auction. Previous notable sales include "Sue," a T-Rex that sold for $8.4 million in 1997, and "Stan," another T-Rex, which fetched $31.8 million in 2020.
The auction highlights the growing market for rare and well-preserved dinosaur fossils, highlighting their value not only to collectors but also to science and education.
Additional source of information NBCNEWS
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