Largest Reconstructed Stegosaurus Skeleton to be Auctioned at Sotheby's

The auction house has set an estimate for the skeleton at $4 million to $6 million. Although this is a significant amount, it falls short of the $31.8 million record set in 2020 by a Tyrannosaurus rex sale in New York.

150-million-year-old fossil of Stegosaurus specimen is on display at Sotheby’s in New York on July 10, 2024. (Photo: AFP)
150-million-year-old fossil of Stegosaurus specimen is on display at Sotheby’s in New York on July 10, 2024. (Photo: AFP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The largest reconstructed Stegosaurus skeleton ever discovered, unearthed in Colorado in 2022, will go up for auction at Sotheby's in New York next week, a move that has disappointed paleontologists.

The well-preserved skeleton, named Apex, was unveiled on Wednesday and will be on display until the July 17 auction. Apex, estimated to be 150 million years old, stands 3.3 meters (11 feet) tall and 6 meters (20 feet) long. It includes 254 of the original 319 fossils, with a notable thigh bone measuring approximately 1.10 meters (4 feet) long.

"Apex is an extremely rare animal, and it is exceptional to find a stegosaur skeleton of this size and completeness," Cassandra Hatton, head of science and popular culture at Sotheby's, told AFP.

The auction house has set an estimate for the skeleton at $4 million to $6 million. Although this is a significant amount, it falls short of the $31.8 million record set in 2020 by a Tyrannosaurus rex sale in New York.

Discovered in May 2022 on land owned by renowned paleontologist Jason Cooper, the skeleton's auction has been organized in collaboration with Cooper to ensure transparency, according to Sotheby's.

In contrast, Christie's auction house canceled the sale of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton in Hong Kong in 2022 due to doubts about the fossil's authenticity.

These high-profile auctions have increased in recent years, sparking controversy and frustration among paleontologists. They argue that selling these specimens reduces the chances of displaying them in museums and making them available for scientific research.

While there are Stegosaurus skeletons on display around the world, Apex is 30 percent larger than Sophie, the most complete skeleton on public display, according to Sotheby's.

"It's a discussion we hear a lot, but most of the people I work with donate or loan these specimens to museums because they understand their importance," said Hatton.

According to Sotheby's, Cooper has previously donated "a large number" of specimens to institutions "around the world."

150-million-year-old fossil of Stegosaurus specimen is on display at Sotheby’s in New York on July 10, 2024. (Photo: AFP)
150-million-year-old fossil of Stegosaurus specimen is on display at Sotheby’s in New York on July 10, 2024. (Photo: AFP)

 

 

Source: Agence France-Presse

Fly Erbil Advertisment