Stegosaurus skeleton 'Apex' sells for record $44.6 million. Why is it so expensive?

"Apex," a nearly complete stegosaurus skeleton, brought a record $44.6 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York. This is the most that has ever been paid for a fossil. The dinosaur was once predicted to sell for $4 million to $6 million. According to Sotheby's, Apex is the "most complete and best-preserved Stegosaurus specimen of its size ever discovered," as per the reports of Yahoo News.

In Moffat County, Colorado, on private property, Apex was found in May 2022. Known for several dinosaur fossil finds, the region is situated in northwest Colorado, close to the borders of Utah and Wyoming. When the skeleton was discovered in 2023, commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper finished the excavation. The Dinosaur National Monument is situated in Moffat County as well.

Size and condition

'Apex' is 27 feet long from nose to tail and 11 feet tall. Its skeleton is made up of 319 bones. Of these, 254 are fossils; the remaining ones are either sculpted or 3D manufactured. The gender of Apex remains unknown. The overall size and bone development of the skeleton suggested that it belonged to a massive, robust adult, according to Sotheby's. Its mature age is indicated by the presence of arthritis, especially in the sacral vertebrae fusion. The skeleton exhibits several intriguing diseases and no evidence of post-mortem scavenging or injuries associated with conflict.


Not every dinosaur has sold for a million dollars, including Apex. The skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex known as "Sue" is currently on exhibit at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and sold for $8.4 million at auction in 1997. Sue was the most expensive fossil until another T. rex skeleton, named "Stan," went for $31.8 million in October 2020. When the new Abu Dhabi natural history museum opens its doors in 2025, Stan will be on display there.

FAQs

What is "Apex," and how much did it sell for at auction?
"Apex" is a nearly complete stegosaurus skeleton that sold for a record $44.6 million at a Sotheby's auction, making it the most expensive fossil ever sold.
Where was the 'Apex' stegosaurus discovered?
Apex was discovered in May 2022 on private property in Moffat County, Colorado, an area known for its many dinosaur fossil finds and the Dinosaur National Monument