A large dinosaur skeleton has fetched $44.6m (£34m) at a Sotheby’s auction in New York City, the most ever paid for a fossil. The plant-eating stegosaurus, nicknamed Apex, is 11ft (3.4m) tall and 27ft long from nose to tail. Sotheby’s said it “ranks high among the most complete skeletons ever found”.
The skeleton sold to an anonymous buyer, who said: “Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America”, in what is seen as a suggestion that it might be loaned to a US institution. (The buyer was later reported to be billionaire hedge fund manager and collector Ken Griffin).
Apex was discovered by a professional palaeontologist in 2022 near the suitably named town of Dinosaur in the western US state of Colorado.
The sale of “Apex” marks a significant moment, as the first instance of an auction house working to bring a dinosaur specimen to market, starting from the day of its discovery. Sotheby’s collaborated closely with the owner to document the entire process, from discovery and excavation to restoration, preparation, and mounting, ensuring that the documentation and sale of the specimen is handled with the highest standards and transparency.
The Stegosaurus is the best-known member of the armoured dinosaurs (Thyreophorans), characterised by the distinctive shape and arrangement of dermal armour on the back, extending from the neck to the tail and terminating into a multi-spiked tail weapon.
Fossils belonging to the family Stegosauridae are known from Jurassic-Cretaceous localities throughout Eurasia, North America, and Africa.
Geology
“Apex” was discovered on privately owned land in Moffat County, Colorado, near the town of Dinosaur, so named due to its proximity to the Dinosaur National Monument. This region is the richest source of dinosaur fossils in the United States due to its location in the Morrison Formation, a sequence of Upper Jurassic sedimentary rock centered in the states of Colorado and Wyoming, with portions running through the states of New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, North & South Dakota, and Montana. Found alone, with no other fossils nearby, “Apex” represents a singular specimen as it lived.
An outstanding exhibition-ready mounted skeleton, measuring approximately 11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet long from nose to tail, with a femur length of 45 inches. The specimen mounted has a footprint of approximately 20 feet 5 inches in length due to the curvature of the spine and elevated position of the tail. Virtually complete, with 254 fossil bone elements (of an approximate total of 319), with additional 3D printed and sculpted elements. Judging from the overall size and degree of the bone development it can be determined that the skeleton belonged to a large, robust adult individual, and evidence of arthritis, particularly notable in the fusion of the 4 sacral vertebrae, would indicate that it lived to an advanced age. The specimen shows no signs of combat related injuries, or evidence of post-mortem scavenging, and exhibits a number of interesting pathologies.
Specimen
Professionally prepared, and accurately articulated anatomically, the skeleton is mounted in an aggressive attack pose on a custom steel armature. Each bone has been fitted with individual holding brackets, which allows for safe, secure mounting, while being removable for study or shipping. Heavy-duty adjustable steel leveling feet have been incorporated into the metal base to secure the skeleton to the floor and prevent rocking. Adding greatly to the practicality of this armature is the special four pivoting joints, which allows the skull and neck vertebrae to be positioned right or left, thus, permitting the skeleton to face the appropriate direction on exhibit, and the chevrons of the tail are fitted with magnets for easy assembly.
The specimen was meticulously prepared to the highest standards, showcasing the fossils’ natural beauty and preserving important contextual information, including fossilized skin impressions, and three ossicles (throat armour), which are offered along with the specimen. Additionally the first two dermal plates, which are naturally very delicate and fragile, have been stored in a case, with 3D printed replicas placed on the mount in their place.
The skeleton was offered with full rights, and the offering includes full documentation certifying condition, authenticity, and legality of ownership, as well as detailed 3D scans of the full specimen.
The previous dinosaur fossil sale record was set in 2020, when a Tyrannosaurus Rex known as Stan fetched $31.8m at Christie’s.
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