The sale of the 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton broke the record for the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold.
Gus, a mounted Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, one of the largest T. rex ever found, is pictured during a press preview at the Sotheby's Breuer building in New York, on Jul 1, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Timothy A. Clary)
15 Jul 2026 05:40AM
(Updated: 15 Jul 2026 06:24AM)
NEW YORK: A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed Gus sold Tuesday (Jul 14) for US$50.1 million at Sotheby's in New York, making it the most valuable dinosaur fossil bought at auction after a 10-minute battle between seven bidders. Gus is one of the world's most complete T rex skeletons - with 183 fossilised bones - and was discovered on a cattle ranch in South Dakota in 2021. The giant beast lived some 72 to 66 million years ago - a period characterized by a warm climate, high sea levels and vast floodable coastal plains. The skeleton measures 11.6m in body length, making it one of the largest T rexes ever discovered. It is roughly 63 per cent complete.
