A 67-Million-Year Old T-Rex Skeleton To Be Auctioned In Europe Next Month

A 67-Million-Year Old T-Rex Skeleton To Be Auctioned In Europe Next Month

Next month, one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever discovered will be offered for sale in Europe. This 67 million year old dinosaur will be displayed alongside works of modern art and other rare fossils.

Paleontologists are concerned about the potential loss of research material due to private sales of dinosaur fossils.

Trix

Next Month, Europe Will Host the Auction of a 67-Million Year Old T-Rex Skeleton

Glasgow residents have the unique opportunity to view one of history's most iconic dinosaurs when Trix, a 67 million year old Tyrannosaurus rex, makes its way here to Kelvin Hall in Glasgow from April 18 until July 31, 2019.

T-Rex are carnivorous dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Period. These were among the largest creatures ever to walk the Earth and remain revered today.

In 2013, scientists from Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, Netherlands) stumbled across an impressively complete T. rex skull in Montana's Hell Creek Formation - 67 million years of rock. Estimates place its composition at 75% complete, with many bones preserved in their original shapes.

Though some T. rex fossils have been sold to museums, this is the first time a complete skeleton of this dinosaur will be displayed publicly for public viewing.

It is expected to draw visitors from throughout the city and beyond, offering viewers an exciting chance to learn more about this deadly species.

Sotheby's, the New York-based auction house that has long been a leader in natural history sales, will be auctioning off this material on July 28. Additionally, they plan to auction a Gorgosaurus skeleton from Montana's Judith River Formation during an event later that same day.

This apex carnivore predated T. rex by 10 million years, but was significantly larger and heavier. Its skeleton, measuring 60 centimeters (2.0 feet) long and 30 cm (12 inches) high, is believed to be the largest and most complete of its type ever discovered.

Sotheby's will be offering the skeleton as part of their upcoming natural history auction, beginning Friday morning at 10 a.m. ET.

According to Sotheby's, it is estimated that the skeleton will fetch between $4 and $10 million. It will be auctioned as Lot 621 in the natural history category and has not yet been analyzed by their experts. When sold, buyers will receive field photographs as well as an in-depth inventory of its condition and authenticity along with documentation proving legal ownership.

Stan

Next month, scientists plan to sell the skull of a 67-million year old T-Rex in Europe. Dubbed Stan, this skeleton will provide researchers with new insight into this iconic predator.

The apex predator reached up to 16 feet and 43 feet in length during the Late Cretaceous period (67 to 76 million years ago).

Sotheby's reports that the fossil is part of their natural history collection and will be auctioned off on July 28 in New York City.

This fossil is believed to be from a male dinosaur that roamed Earth 76 million years ago. It consists of approximately 80 bones.

Sotheby's reported the discovery of this fossil in Montana in 2020. It has been estimated to be 70 percent complete.

Over the last two decades, the trade in dinosaur skeletons has generated millions of dollars. However, some experts have warned that selling such valuable fossils may obstruct scientific research.

Many of these skeletons have been preserved in museums, but there is also a growing market for replicas made from bones from the same original specimen. Reconstructed replicas often sell for more than their authentic counterparts.

Due to their rarity and limited distribution, prices can range anywhere from US$15,000 up to $40,000.

Stan, a 67 million year old T-Rex known as T-rex, is an extremely rare specimen. It is male and the only T-Rex ever discovered in its entirety.

It's the oldest T-Rex fossil ever discovered, dating back to the Cretaceous period. As such, its study by scientists has been intense.

After Sue's successful sale in 1997, many scientists expressed worry that its high price tag might prompt additional resale of the skeleton. The Field Museum in Chicago, which purchased Sue, had hoped to keep and exhibit it but found themselves faced with an unexpected expense.

After being sold to an unidentified bidder in 2018, it was last seen publicly in 2018. Now, however, it will make its way to the Middle East for a new natural history museum set to open in 2025: Abu Dhabi Natural History Museum - home to some of the world's most iconic dinosaurs.

Shen

Next Month: An Auction in Europe featuring a 67-million year old T-Rex Skeleton

A dinosaur skeleton is set for auction in Europe as fossils become more valuable on the private market. But this controversial trade has alarmed palaeontologists around the world who fear fossils becoming private property instead of accessible to scientists.

Dinosaur fossils are becoming a growing trend among wealthy collectors who are willing to shell out up to tens of millions of dollars for such objects, which often form the centerpiece of their collections. Furthermore, dinosaur fossils make great gifts for dinophiles--the growing community who enjoys spending time with dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals--who enjoy spending money on such objects.

Fossils have been a prized possession in the world of art for over two decades, and their prices continue to soar with each passing year. T-Rex, Diplodocus and Triceratops skeletons are especially sought-after - often selling at over seven figures.

Recently, an auction of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull from Mongolia raised concerns and ignited debate over its authenticity. After being questioned by officials from Mongolia's government in 2016, the buyer voluntarily returned the fossil to that country.

This isn't the first time a T-Rex skeleton has been sold to private individuals. The most notable case was Sue, an $8.4 million Tyrannosaurus rex skull from South Dakota that sold in 1997 for $8.4 million.

In 2020, an auction sold a t-rex skeleton known as Stan from Montana that had been excavated in Hell Creek and Lance Creek formations between 2008 and 2013. According to its auction catalogue, this skeleton consisted of bones from three distinct T-Rex specimens discovered between those same formations between 2008 and 2013 in Montana and Wyoming.

Koller reported that the Trinity skeleton was composed of slightly over half of bones from three T-Rex specimens. According to Link, these bones were provided by a private individual and flown to Switzerland in nine large crates for reassembly.

In addition to Trinity, a 2.145-kilo rock that has been described as "among the largest Martian meteorites ever found" will also be sold. Other items include an array of dinosaur teeth from China and Russia.

Gorgosaurus

Next month, one of the world's largest dinosaurs - Gorgosaurus - is set to make a journey to an European museum. This 67 million year old T-Rex skull will be sold at Sotheby's auction house in London to an unnamed buyer for an estimated price tag of more than $10 million.

Gorgosaurus stood about 30 feet long, 9 feet at its hips and weighed 2 1/2 tons. Like T-Rex and Albertosaurus, it had teeth designed for biting and chewing prey; additionally, its long tail served to balance itself.

Gorgosaurus was a carnivore that could hunt many different kinds of animals. Its diet consisted solely of meat, so it would consume both other creatures and plants alike.

Its body structure was similar to that of a typical tyrannosaur, featuring an enormous head and S-shaped neck. Additionally, its long, muscular tail provided balance while keeping it upright.

Some scientists have speculated that this dinosaur was a scavenger, hunting other dinosaurs and eating their flesh for food. On the other hand, other researchers believe it to have been predatory, taking out larger and more armored dinosaurs like Daspletosaurus or Ornithomimus.

Researchers value the complete skeleton of this creature, which allows them to examine it for fractures or other injuries and gain a comprehensive view of the creature's entire life cycle.

Another unique part of the skeleton is the skull. This major component of dinosaur anatomy and most recognisable feature when it comes to tyrannosaurids is easily observed.

Due to this, Gorgosaurus' skull was an essential factor in the study of dinosaurs. It allowed palaeontologists to distinguish it from other tyrannosaurids such as Albertosaurus and Daspletosaurus.

This 67 million year old T-Rex skeleton is one of the world's most significant fossils and will be auctioned at Sotheby's in London, Europe next month. Estimates place it at over $10 million and this will be only the second T-Rex skeleton ever sold at auction.