Rare T. Rex Skull Discovered in South Dakota Is Expected to Fetch Staggering Amount at AuctionA fossilized T. rex sold for $31.85 million in 2020 — breaking records at the time.
ByAmanda Breen•
An extraordinary standaloneTyrannosaurus rexskull is about to hit the market.
Sotheby'swill put the "first of its kind" fossil up for live auction on December 9, according to areleasefrom the New York-based broker, and it's expected to fetch $15-$20 million.
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Discovered and excavated in Harding County, South Dakota at a "severely weathered" dig site where most of the rest of the skeleton was destroyed over time, the skull is one of the best and most complete ever found, per Sotheby's.
Fewer than a dozen fossils of comparable status exist inmuseums, and Maximus, as it's known, is on track to become one of the most valuable fossils ever sold at auction.
In 2020,Christie'sauctioned off a fossilized T. rex known as Stan (named for the paleontologist who found him) for $31.85 million — making it the most expensive dinosaur skeleton sold to date, perCNBC.
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Sotheby's will provide Maximus's buyer with full documentation certifying the condition, authenticity and legality of ownership at the time of sale.
