"Apex" is a fossilized Stegosaurus skeleton that was sold at Sotheby's on 17 July 2024 for $44.6 million, making it the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.[1][2]
| Common name | Apex |
|---|---|
| Species | Stegosaurus |
| Age | 150 million years |
| Place discovered | Moffat County, Colorado |
| Date discovered | 2022 |
| Discovered by | Jason Cooper |
Description
editApex is the largest and most complete known Stegosaurus skeleton, with 254 bones preserved out of approximately 319. It measures 3.4 metres (11 ft) in height and 8.2 metres (27 ft) in length. The animal to which it belonged was a large, robust adult, with possible signs of rheumatoid arthritis indicating an advanced age. No traces of combat-related injuries or post-mortem scavenging are present on the fossil.[3]
The specimen is 150 million years old, dating to the Late Jurassic epoch.[2]
Discovery
editApex was discovered in 2022 by commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper, on privately owned land in Moffat County near the town of Dinosaur, Colorado. The fossil was found encased in hard sandstone.[3] It was excavated between 2022 and 2023.[4]
Auction
editThe fossil was put to auction at Sotheby's on 17 July 2024, with a pre-sale estimate of between $4 million and $6 million.[1] Seven bidders took part in the auction. After 15 minutes, the specimen was sold to an anonymous buyer for $44.6 million, or 11 times its lower pre-sale estimate. It was stated by Sotheby's to be the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.[2]
At the time of the auction, the fossil was mounted on a custom steel armature, in an attack pose.[4]
On 18 July, the buyer was revealed to be billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of the hedge fund Citadel LLC. Griffin intends to put the specimen on loan to an American institution, claiming after the auction that "Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America!"[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Nicholls, Catherine (18 July 2024). "Stegosaurus skeleton sets auction record, selling for $44.6 million". Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b c "Dinosaur skeleton fetches record $44.6m at New York auction". Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Largest, most intact stegosaurus fossil ever found sells for $44.6m". The Guardian. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Stegosaurus sells for almost $45 million at Sotheby's auction, the most for any dinosaur fossil - CBS News". 17 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ "Here's who bought the record-setting "Apex" Stegosaurus for $45 million - CBS News". 18 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.