A 67 Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil Sells for a Record Price

The "Gus" Tyrannosaurus rex fossil, sold at Sotheby's auction in New York, became the most expensive dinosaur fossil sold at auction, selling for $50.1 million.Gus was discovered during excavations in Harding County, South Dakota, between 2021 and 2023. The fossil was named after Gary "Gus" Licking, the owner of the land where it was found.The fossil, estimated to be around 67 million years old, is approximately 3.8 meters high and 11.5 meters long. The auction house stated that the skeleton is one of the largest and best-preserved T. rex specimens ever found.The skeleton, composed of 183 fossil bones, is about 61% complete by bone count and 75-80% complete by bone mass. It also includes 30 abdominal ribs, which are rarely found in T. rex fossils.Scientists note that the fossil shows signs of injuries the dinosaur sustained during its lifetime, including bite marks and healed rib fractures.