Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA 67 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, nicknamed Gus, was sold for a record $50.1m (£37.3m) at auction, making it the world's most expensive dinosaur. The T-Rex was acquired after a seven-way bidding contest at Sotheby's in New York on Tuesday (14 July). Gus, standing 12 ½ feet (3.8 meters) tall, surpassed the previous record of nearly $45m (£33.6m) set by a stegosaurus named Apex in 2024. The fossil was discovered in South Dakota between 2021 and 2023. Gus is approximately 63% complete and features an exceptionally preserved skull along with rare bones, including a furcula. In fullThis 67 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex just became the world’s most expensive dinosaurMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Private buyers are increasingly outbidding museums for fossils. That’s making it difficult—or even impossible—for researchers to improve our understanding of the past.

A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton from South Dakota, nicknamed Gus, has become the world’s most expensive fossil sold at auction.