THE MOST EXPENSIVE DINOSAUR FOSSIL IN THE WORLD IS A STEGOSAURUS WORTH $45M
The record-breaking $44.6 million was recently paid for the first-ever Stegosaurus fossil to be offered at auction. At Sotheby's in New York, potential buyers raised their bids to almost 11 times the $6 million estimated value of the fossil for over 15 minutes. Ultimately, the Stegosaurus surpassed the record of $31.8 million set by Stan the Tyrannosaurus Rex in 2020 to sell for the highest price of any dinosaur skeleton in history.
In 2022, the skeleton was discovered in Moffat County, Colorado, close to the town of Dinosaur. Due to the large number of fossils from the Jurassic period discovered there, as the town's name might imply, palaeontologists highly value the area. Paleontologist Jason Cooper found this specific skeleton while out for a birthday hike on his land. He saw a large femur sticking out of a nearby rock. Cooper and his crew found the fossil a year later, and Cooper collaborated closely with Sotheby's throughout the dinosaur's restoration and mounting.The Stegosaurus, which Cooper named Apex, is the best-preserved fossil of its kind ever discovered. It is approximately 27 feet long from head to tail and stands 11 feet tall. It is roughly a third larger than Sophie, the well-known Stegosaurus on display at the Natural History Museum in London, and is 70% intact. It is made up of 319 skeletal pieces.
Apex is currently housed in a private collection, but it's possible that the skeleton will eventually be made available for public viewing. Ken Griffin, the founder of Citadel, is the buyer and is presently looking into loaning the dinosaur to US museums. Apex might get another opportunity to travel across North America as he did during his lifetime in the upcoming years.
Apex is currently housed in a private collection, but it's possible that the skeleton will eventually be made available for public viewing. Ken Griffin, the founder of Citadel, is the buyer and is presently looking into loaning the dinosaur to US museums. Apex might get another opportunity to travel across North America as he did during his lifetime in the upcoming years.