Nanotyrannus skeleton sells for record $47.3 million at auction

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 17:33 · Archive

A Nanotyrannus skeleton nicknamed 'Jodi' sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby's in New York City on Tuesday, vastly exceeding the auction house's pre-sale estimate of $6 to $9 million. The skeleton is now the second-priciest set of dinosaur bones ever sold, behind a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil called 'Gus' which sold for $50.1 million at Sotheby's earlier this year.

Nanotyrannus was recently confirmed to be a distant cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex, not merely a young specimen. The creature was roughly half the length of an adult T. rex and coexisted with it during the Cretaceous period approximately 67 million years ago. Nanotyrannus had relatively longer forelimbs and larger hand claws than its famous cousin, as well as more slender, blade-like teeth.

'Jodi' is one of only three Nanotyrannus skeletons known to exist. Standing 6.5 feet tall and stretching nearly 20 feet long, it is considered almost 70% complete. The skeleton was discovered in 2019 on land owned by Jodi Pierson, a Montana rancher, from whom it takes its name. The anonymous buyer outbid five other prospective buyers online and by phone during the auction.

How it is being reported

• A dinosaur fossil that looks like a mini T. rex just sold for a giant $47 millionA dinosaur that looks like a miniature T.Clickorlando · 27 Oct, 16:51
• A dinosaur fossil that looks like a mini T. rex just sold for a giant $47 millionA dinosaur that looks like a miniature T.News4Jax · 27 Oct, 16:51

In this story: Sotheby's · New York · Jodi Pierson · Montana

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