The largest and most complete stegosaurus fossil ever discovered sold for $44.6 million at Sotheby’s in New York on Wednesday, becoming the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.
The dinosaur remains, dubbed “Apex,” sold for more than 11 times their pre-sale low estimate.
It was discovered on private land in Moffat County, Colorado, near the town of Dinosaur, by commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper on his property in 2022.
““Apex” measures 3.4 metres (11 feet) tall and 8.2 metres (27 feet) long from nose to tail, more than 30 per cent larger than “Sophie”, the most intact stegosaurus specimen to date, which was on display at the Natural History Museum in London.
The object was sold to an anonymous buyer who plans to loan the specimen to an American institution. After the sale, the buyer declared: “Apex was born in America and will stay in America!”
Cassandra Hatton, Global Head of Science and Popular Culture at Sotheby’s, said: “‘Apex’ lived up to its name today, inspiring bidders around the world to become the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.
“This sale has been years in the making and we have worked closely with Jason Cooper every step of the way, from the time of his discovery in Dinosaur, Colorado, to his sale in New York.
“I am delighted that such an important specimen now has its place in history, 150 million years after it first appeared on the planet. This remarkable achievement underlines our unwavering commitment to preserving these ancient treasures.”
““Apex” ranks among the most complete skeletons ever discovered, with 254 fossil bone elements out of an approximate total of 319.
The skeleton belonged to a tall, robust adult and showed signs of rheumatoid arthritis, indicating he lived to a ripe old age, Sotheby’s said.
The specimen showed no signs of combat-related injuries or evidence of postmortem recovery.
It was preserved in hard sandstone, which protected the bones from any deformation.
““Apex” was the star attraction at Sotheby’s natural history auction, with other lots including meteorites, minerals, gogottes and, for the first time, Paleolithic tools.
The auction raised $45.8 million (£35.2 million) in total, the highest amount ever for a natural history auction.