NEW YORK (Web Desk) - A nearly 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil skeleton has been sold for a record $51 million during an auction in New York.
The final bid for the rare fossil was $43 million, while the total sale price reached $51 million after adding the auction house fees, making it the most expensive dinosaur skeleton ever sold.
Named Gus, the T-rex stands around 12.5 feet (3.8 meters) tall and measures 38 feet (11.5 meters) in length. Experts said the fossil’s key features include an exceptionally preserved skull, a powerful jaw filled with teeth, both feet, and several rare bones, including the furcula.
Reports said the fossil was discovered in 2021 on a farm in the US state of South Dakota.
During the auction, an anonymous bidder participating by phone outbid six other competitors in a 10-minute bidding battle to acquire the historic skeleton.