The largest stegosaurus skeleton ever discovered, nicknamed Apex, was sold for a record-breaking $44.6 million at an auction in New York on Wednesday, according to Sotheby’s.
Estimated to be 150 million years old, Apex is considered “among the most complete skeletons ever found” by the auction house.
The skeleton measures 11 feet (3.3 meters) tall and 27 feet long, consisting of 254 fossil bone elements out of an estimated total of 319.
This sale surpassed the previous record of $31.8 million set in 2020 for a Tyrannosaurus Rex named “Stan.”
Sotheby’s had initially expected Apex to fetch between $4 million and $6 million, but the price quickly escalated due to a flurry of telephone bids, resulting in gasps and applause in the auction room.
Apex was discovered in May 2022 on the private land of paleontologist Jason Cooper. The auction house collaborated with Cooper to meticulously document the entire process, from discovery and excavation to restoration, preparation, and mounting, ensuring the “highest standards and transparency.”
In contrast, Christie’s had to withdraw a T-rex skeleton from auction in Hong Kong in 2022 due to doubts about its authenticity.
The auction reflects a growing trend for the sale of dinosaur remains. While stegosaurus skeletons are displayed in various locations worldwide, Sotheby’s noted that Apex is 30 percent larger than Sophie, the most complete stegosaurus on public display, which is housed in the Natural History Museum in London.
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