"Apex," the stegosaurus sold for 44.6 million dollars
It is the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever auctioned; Ken Griffin bought it.
A nearly complete stegosaurus skeleton broke records at a New York auction and became the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold.
The specimen, nicknamed "Apex," sold on July 17, 2024 at Sotheby's New York for 44.6 million dollars. The buyer was Ken Griffin, founder of the hedge fund Citadel.
The figure far exceeded the previous record for an auctioned dinosaur fossil and the auction house's pre-sale estimate. Apex is a large and very complete skeleton, which partly explains the interest.
Griffin announced he plans to loan the fossil to a US institution. The sale revived debate among paleontologists, concerned that high prices push valuable fossils into private hands and away from scientific research.
Apex was discovered in May 2022 by commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper on private land in Moffat County, Colorado, near the town of Dinosaur. It stands about 3.4 meters tall and 8.2 meters long. According to Sotheby's, it is the most expensive fossil ever sold at auction.
Key facts
- Price: 44.6 million dollars.
- Auction at Sotheby's New York, July 17, 2024.
- Buyer: Ken Griffin, of Citadel.
- Planned loan to a US institution.
- Found in 2022 in Moffat County, Colorado.
It remains to be seen where it will be displayed and whether it will be available for scientific study.
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