Gus the T-Rex Sells for Record $50.1 Million USD at Sotheby's
Making it the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever auctioned.
Summary
Gus sold for a record-breaking $50.1 million USD at Sotheby's, making it the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever auctioned.
The 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the largest and most complete specimens ever discovered.
The sale has reignited debate over whether museum-quality fossils should remain in public institutions or private collections.
A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton has set a new auction record. “Gus,” one of the largest and most complete T-Rex specimens ever discovered, sold for $50.1 million USD at Sotheby’s New York, surpassing its $20 million–$30 million USD estimate and becoming the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction.
Named after South Dakota rancher Gary “Gus” Licking, the 67-million-year-old skeleton measures about 38 feet long and preserves 183 fossil bones. Excavated between 2021 and 2023, it is considered one of the best-preserved T-Rex specimens ever brought to market.
The sale attracted seven bidders before an anonymous telephone buyer secured the fossil. It surpasses the previous auction record set by the Stegosaurus “Apex,” which sold for $44.6 million USD in 2024, and “Stan,” the T-Rex that sold for $31.8 million USD in 2020.
As with previous high-profile fossil sales, the auction has sparked debate among paleontologists, who argue that scientifically important specimens should remain accessible to museums and researchers rather than private collectors.
