Sotheby’s in New York has announced that it will auction the skeleton of a Gorgosaurus, a cousin of the T-Rex, later this month, and it is expected to sell for up to $8 million.
This member of the tyrannosaurid family roamed the earth about 77 million years ago and was an apex predator that inhabited the western United States and Canada during the late Cretaceous period. Due to its T-Rex genes, it has similar characteristics, including a huge head with dozens of sharp curved teeth and two small forelimbs. However, it was faster than the T-Rex and had a stronger bite force, according to Sotheby’s.
“As the ultimate hunter of its time, thought to have hunted in packs of four, Gorgosaurus was a dominant force and a lone predator,” Sotheby’s said.
The massive fossil, which measures 10 feet tall and 22 feet long, was discovered in 2018 near Havre, Montana, according to Sotheby’s. All other known Gorgosaurus skeletons are held in museum collections, making this the only specimen offered for private ownership.
“In my career I have had the privilege of handling and selling many exceptional and unique objects, but few have the ability to inspire wonder and capture the imagination like this incredible Gorgosaurus skeleton,” Cassandra Hatton, global head of science and popular culture at Sotheby’s, said. in a news release. “Unearthed just a few years ago, a Gorgosaurus has never before been offered at auction and being able to share this dinosaur with the public for the first time is a huge pleasure and a highlight of my career.”
This is Sotheby’s second sale of a fossilized dinosaur skeleton. In 1997, the auction house sold Sue, one of the largest dinosaur fossils in history, for a whopping $8.36 million. This sale broke the record for the most valuable fossil sold at auction.
Dinosaur lovers can visit the Gorgosaurus skeleton from July 21 at Sotheby’s York Avenue Galleries. It goes up for auction on July 28.
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