T. rex fossil 'Gus' fetches $50.1 million at Sotheby's auction
The 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton known as Gus sold for $50.1 million, setting a new record for the most expensive fossil ever auctioned.
A nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, dubbed Gus, was sold at Sotheby’s Natural History auction in New York on July 14 for $50.1 million, surpassing the previous fossil record of $44.6 million. The specimen, estimated at 67 million years old and about 61 percent complete, measures roughly 38 feet in length, 12.5 feet in height, and has a 54-inch skull.
The fossil was discovered in Harding County, South Dakota, on land owned by the late rancher Gary “Gus” Licking and excavated by Thomas Heitkamp’s team between 2021 and 2023. Prior to the sale, it was displayed to the public at a Sotheby’s gallery in Manhattan.
"Gus is not only an exceptional find, but a specimen that’s been excavated, documented, prepared, and cared for with real excellence," said Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice-chairman and Worldwide Head of Science and Natural History.
Seven bidders competed for the specimen during a ten-minute bidding session, which was part of the auction house’s “Geek Week” events that also featured other dinosaur fossils and historic artifacts. The sale establishes Gus as the most valuable dinosaur ever offered at auction, joining a small group of T. rex specimens that are more than 60 percent complete, such as Sue at Chicago’s Field Museum and Stan at Abu Dhabi’s Natural History Museum.