A nearly complete 67-million-year-old T. rex fossil named “Gus,” discovered in South Dakota and weighing over 38 feet long, is set to auction at Sotheby’s with an estimated sale price of $20–$30 million—potentially making it one of the most expensive dinosaur fossils ever sold. Named after ranch owner Gary “Gus” Licking, who died before its full assembly, the specimen represents a rare, high-quality example from the late Cretaceous period. While such sales reflect growing market demand and record prices—including Apex the stegosaurus’ $44.6 million sale in 2024—experts like paleontologist Scott Persons caution that these sums could instead fund decades of museum-led research and discovery.
Original Article Source Link:
https://www.npr.org/2026/07/12/nx-s1-5890988/t-rex-gus-dinosaur-auction-sothebys-millions