The fossilized remains of a stegosaurus, known as “Apex,” were sold at auction by Sotheby’s for $44.6 million. The buyer chose to remain anonymous. Considered one of the most complete stegosaurus fossils ever found, Apex surpassed the pre-sale estimate of $4 million to $6 million and also broke the previous auction record of $31.8 million for a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil named Stan in 2020.
Cassandra Hatton, in charge of Sotheby’s science-related business, described Apex as now being a part of history, having roamed the planet around 150 million years ago. Despite the excitement of the sale, there is some concern among academic paleontologists who prefer these valuable specimens to be placed in museums or research centers unable to compete with the high auction prices.
The purchaser, who won the bidding war against six others, is looking into the possibility of loaning Apex to a U.S. institution. Standing at 11 feet tall and 27 feet from nose to tail, Apex was a significant stegosaurus that displayed signs of arthritis, according to Sotheby’s. The fossil was discovered in 2022 by commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper on his property near Dinosaur, Colorado, close to Dinosaur National Monument and the Utah border.
