While man will never be able to walk alongside dinosaurs, there is another way for us to get up close and personal with the extinct creatures.
Through auctions, some of the world’s most elite and rich clients have the privilege to bid on the fossilized remains of the ancient giants. On July 28, the first-ever Gorgosaurus sold for a whopping $6.1 million right here in New York.
The Gorgosaurus is part of the Tyrannosaurid family and was an apex predator during the Late Cretaceous period. While its family name translates to “fierce” or “terrifying” lizard, dinosaurs are not lizards at all and are in a category completely of their own. The species was native Western North America with the unnamed fossil being found in the Judith River Formation near Havre, Montana.
“I have had the privilege of handling and selling many exceptional and unique objects, but few have the capacity to inspire wonder and capture imaginations quite like this unbelievable Gorgosaurus skeleton.” said Sotheby’s Global Head of Science and Popular Culture Cassandra Hatton. “Excavated only a few years ago, a Gorgosaurus has never before been offered at auction, and the opportunity of sharing this dinosaur with the public for the first time is an immense pleasure and a highlight of my career.”
This auction has put the Gorgosaurus as one of the most valuable dinosaurs ever sold at auction. The fossil was unnamed, which is unusual for most dinosaur auctions, but it allowed the winner to name the fossil themselves.
The Natural History sale continued with various other dinosaur fossils going up for auction. A Triceratops skull measuring 90 inches long and 57 inches wide was sold for $661,500. The fossil came from the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota; this animal once roamed the Earth about 66 million years ago. The species of Triceratops, this fossil belongs to, is the Ceratopsidae family, characterized by their iconic frill, long nasal horns, beaks and rows of shearing teeth in the back of the jaw.
Additionally, articulated Allosaurus leg bones sold for $163,800 alongside a Tyrannosaurus Rex rooted tooth which brought in $100,800.
This auction followed the Buzz Aldrin: American Icon auction on Tuesday, which achieved $8.2 million, which made it the most valuable space exploration auction of all time. This was Sotheby’s first time auctioning off meteorites.
Established in 1744, Sotheby’s continues to be the world’s largest and most trusted marketplace for extreme luxury purchases.
