Historic Auction: Stegosaurus Skeleton Fetches $44.6 Million

• A stegosaurus skeleton named Apex sold for a record $44.6 million at Sotheby’s auction, making it the most expensive fossil ever sold.
• Discovered in Colorado in 2022, Apex’s sale surpassed estimates, with an anonymous buyer hinting it may be displayed in a US institution.

The most significant event occurred during the Sotheby’s auction held in New York City, where the skeleton of a dinosaur sold for the staggering sum of $44.6 Million (£ 34 million) which set the record in fossil sales. This herbivore stegosaurus, affectionately dubbed Apex, is 11 feet tall and extends 27 feet from the nose to the tail. According to Sotheby’s Apex “ranks high among the most complete skeletons ever found.”

A buyer anonymously purchased the fossil, hinting about the future of the fossil when they said, “Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America.” It has led to speculation that Apex could be loaned out to an US institution to be viewed by the public.

Apex’s discovery came as a hit of luck for Palaeontologist Jason Cooper in 2022, in the city of Dinosaur within Colorado. Cooper is an expert fossil hunter identified it as Apex for its impressive dimension, which has been a prominent feature in its ancient environment.

Sotheby’s announced the sale with the release, noting that “The finest stegosaurus to appear at auction, ‘Apex’ has made history today [Wednesday] selling for $44.6 million at Sotheby’s to become the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.” The auction record was beaten over 11 times. The closing bid was greeted by cheers after the 15-minute auction that involved seven bidders.

Apex is believed to have roamed Earth around 150 million years back, during The Late Jurassic Period. The sale is more than the previous record that was set in the year 2020 when a Tyrannosaurus Rex known as Stan was sold for $31.8 million.

The new owners of Apex ensure that Apex’s heritage continues and is expected to be a vital part of American natural heritage.