Tyrannosaurus rex will be auctioned for up to 30 million dollars

New York- L Sotheby's will auction in New York one of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered, for an estimated price of between 20 and 30 million dollars. 'Gus', as the fossil has been named, is the star of Sotheby's Natural History auction on July 14th, and is the most valuable dinosaur ever offered at auction, according to a statement from the entity. "Gus is the result of years of rigorous excavations and preparations in some of the most difficult field conditions imaginable, as well as years of meticulous study, documentation, and research," assured Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's Vice President and Global Head of the Science and Natural History department. The fossil, whose estimated price in this auction is the "highest valuation ever given to a dinosaur", was excavated over the field seasons of 2021, 2022 and 2023 and is 67 million years old, according to Sotheby's. "The world's most recognized dinosaur," as defined by the house, lived during the Late Cretaceous, a period characterized by warm climates, high sea levels, and rich coastal alluvial plains.

An immense skull and a powerful bite

These conditions fostered "an extraordinary diversity of life" in what is now the western United States, giving rise to ecological conditions in which large herbivores such as Triceratops or Edmontosaurus grew. In its case, the T. rex is distinguished by having an "immense" skull, long teeth with deep roots and an "exceptionally powerful" bite, as well as a highly developed sense of smell and frontal vision. During his existence, 'Gus' was "one of the most powerful predators" in the world thanks to his strength, his "sharp senses" and his ability to adapt. Thomas Heitkamp, president of Theropoda Expeditions and discoverer and excavator of 'Gus', recalls in the note that the specimen took three years to excavate, and that it was found in a 'complex' site that preserved numerous fossils of flora and fauna. "Our persistence paid off and we were pleased to discover what turned out to be an enormous and extraordinarily complete specimen of T. rex," he emphasized. Before its sale on July 14, this T. rex can be seen in Sotheby's galleries in New York, at the Breuer building on the Upper East Side, along with other outstanding pieces from the auction.