T. rex sells for $50M, most expensive dinosaur fossil in auction
“Gus”, a mounted Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, one of the largest T. rexes ever found, was photographed during a press preview at Sotheby’s Breuer building in New York on July 1, 2026.
Timothy A. Clary | Afp | Getty Images
A Tyrannosaurus rex specimen sold for $50.1 million at Sotheby’s, making it the most expensive dinosaur ever sold at auction.
Exploding dinosaur prices at auction, a T. rex named “Gus” surpassed its price estimate of $20 million to $30 million after a 10-minute bidding war among seven bidders. The record sale of a Stegosaurus skeleton, nicknamed “Apex”, purchased by billionaire hedge funder Ken Griffin, by Sotheby’s for $44.6 million in 2024, was broken.
Gus was discovered in South Dakota and is approximately 67 million years old. Touted as one of the most complete dinosaur specimens ever found, Gus has 183 fossil bone elements and is approximately 61% complete by bone count. It is about 38 feet long, about 12.5 feet high and has a skull length of 54 inches, making it one of the largest T. rex fossils ever found, according to Sotheby’s.
Gus also displayed a number of injuries, including several broken and healed bones in the ribs and stomach area, as well as bite marks on several skull bones.
“Gus is not only an extraordinary find, but also a specimen that has been excavated, documented, prepared and maintained with true perfection,” said Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s vice president and worldwide head of science and natural history.
Dinosaur fossils have become one of the fastest-growing segments of the collectibles market, as the wealthy seek rare items with long-term value and auction houses look to categories beyond art to diversify their sales. A T. rex named “Stan” sold for $31.8 million at Christie’s in 2020.
While Gus’ success will likely spur the sale of more dinosaur bones, paleontologists and other experts warn that there is little assurance of authenticity or verification in the industry.
