Nanotyrannus skeleton sells for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s auction
A rare skeleton of Nanotyrannus, a smaller relative of the T. rex, has sold at auction at Sotheby’s in New York for $47.3 million, following a 12-minute bidding war among six contenders, reports BritPanorama.
The specimen, named Jodi, is among only three known relatively complete Nanotyrannus skeletons. This auction exceeded the estimated sale price of $6 to $9 million, narrowly missing the record for a fossil sale set in July with the sale of Gus, an exceptional T. rex skeleton that fetched $50.1 million.
At 9.6 feet tall and 19.6 feet long, Jodi is just over half the length of Gus. The rarity of such specimens likely contributed to the high final bid. The status of the Nanotyrannus as a distinct species has been contested; recent findings are beginning to tip the scale in favor of classifying it separately from juvenile T. rex.
According to Sotheby’s, the skeleton is exceptionally well-preserved, consisting of 191 bone elements, including a “virtually complete” skull.
The skeleton was discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson—who also inspired its name—and excavated by Clayton Phipps, a commercial paleontologist known as the “Dinosaur Cowboy.”
Like several significant fossils auctioned before, Jodi originates from the Hell Creek Formation, a region known for its rich fossil deposits spanning Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. Notably, the first T. rex skeleton was unearthed there in 1902, with the species name derived from fossils found in that area.
In 2006, Phipps discovered the “Dueling Dinosaurs” nearby, a renowned fossil currently displayed at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. This study features two skeletons in apparent combat—a Triceratops and another smaller theropod now identified as a Nanotyrannus. The third known specimen, Jane, is housed at the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Illinois.
Experts conclude that Jodi is an adult based on size and bone development. Missing bones have been substituted with custom 3D printed and sculpted elements. The fossil was offered with “full rights,” allowing its new, anonymous owner to produce and sell replicas to museums or collectors.
High-value sales of dinosaur fossils have sparked significant concern from the scientific community, as such auctions remove specimens from public access and hinder research opportunities.
Steve Brusatte, a paleontology professor at the University of Edinburgh, expressed his dismay: “We’ve really just found out that Nanotyrannus is real, and now one of the best skeletons is about to be sold to the highest bidder. It’s harrowing to think it could disappear into the vaults of a collector rather than be displayed in a museum where it can wow and inspire kids and families and the public at large.”
David Hone, a zoology lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, commented on the sale price: “I was very surprised that Jodi sold for so much more than the estimates. It feels like there is a bubble of prices on dinosaurs, which must burst at some point; they can’t keep rising forever.”
Furthermore, Hone noted, “In terms of the potential scientific value of the specimen, it’s very hard to say without proper and verified study by experts. I’d be very surprised if the specimen ended up in a public collection and available for study, and so until that point, it is effectively outside of science.”
