“Signs of arthritis indicate the dinosaur lived to an old age”
A “virtually complete” stegosaurus fossil will be auctioned at Sotheby's. The 11-foot-tall, 20-foot-long dinosaur fossil, nicknamed Apex, could be worth up to $6 million as it is considered “one of the best ever found.”
The largest and most complete stegosaurus fossil ever found is expected to be sold as the top lot at Sotheby's “geek week” this summer, will cost buyers up to $6 million (£4.7 million).
At 11ft (3.4m) tall and more than 20ft long, the “virtually complete” fossil, nicknamed “Apex”, is more than 30% larger than “Sophie”, the previously most intact stegosaurus specimen, which was on display at London's Natural History Museum, The Guardian reports.
Cassandra Hatton, head of science at Sotheby's, said: “Apex marks an incredibly important milestone as it is simply one of the finest fossils of its kind ever found.
Stegosaurus is one of the most recognizable dinosaur species, whose distinctive silhouette has been a source of fascination and wonder for many generations. Through a meticulous process of excavation, preparation and installation, Apex sets a new standard for all future discoveries of this magnitude and further cements Stegosaurus's enduring appeal and high status in popular culture.
With an auction estimate of $4-6 million, it could be one of the most valuable dinosaur fossils ever sold at auction. The record belongs to the skeleton of Stan the Tyrannosaurus, which was sold at Christie's auction for $31.8 million in 2020.
However, the dinosaur auction market was plunged into crisis in 2022 when Christie's was forced to cancel a £20 million auction of another T-rex skeleton named Shen, just days before it was due to go under the hammer, after a prominent palaeontologist raised concerns that parts of the specimen looked too similar to Stan.
Apex was discovered by commercial palaeontologist Jason Cooper in the Morrison Formation in Moffat County, Colorado, near Dinosaur, in May 2022, The Guardian notes.
Representatives from Sotheby's auction house said they were “working closely” with Jason Cooper to “document the entire process, from discovery and excavation to restoration, preparation and installation,” ensuring that the documentation and sale were carried out “to the highest standards and transparency.” The remains of Apex will be exhibited at Sotheby's galleries in New York before the sale in July.
Stegosaurus is the most famous member of the armored dinosaurs (Thyreophorans), distinguished by the characteristic shape and location of the dermal shell on the back, extending from neck to tail, writes The Guardian.
The Apex fossil shows “no evidence of combat or trauma associated with predation; however, signs of arthritis indicate that he lived to an advanced age.” It also has an “impressive femur length of 45 inches.”
Sotheby's reported that Jason Cooper, founder of Trilobites of America and co-owner of Dinosaur Corporation, “has unearthed numerous dinosaur specimens.” in the United States, many of which are now “housed in institutions around the world, and a significant number have been donated to them.”
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