Record T. rex fossil Gus sells for $50.1 million at Sotheby’s New York

A near-complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton named Gus sold for $50.1 million at Sotheby’s in New York, setting a new record for a dinosaur fossil and far surpassing expectations. The 67-million-year-old specimen stands about 3.8 meters tall and 38 feet long, with an exceptionally preserved skull and 183 bones, plus evidence of life injuries. The sale has sparked debate among scientists about the impact of private ownership on palaeontological research, as critics warn that fossils bought into private hands may become inaccessible to scholars; the previous dinosaur record was a $44.6 million Stegosaurus sold in 2024.