Gus the T. rex poised to set fossil auction record at Sotheby’s

A privately unearthed 38-foot Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed Gus from South Dakota’s Hell Creek Formation is heading to Sotheby’s in New York for auction, with estimates around $30 million and a potential to become the world’s most expensive fossil. Gus is about 61% complete by bone count (roughly 75–80% by mass) and shows bite marks and fractures. The sale reignites a debate over fossil ownership and science, since many researchers argue fossils should be in public collections to allow study and verification, while opponents say private owners can still enable research or loans. Excavated by Theropoda Expeditions from 2021–2023 on Gary Licking’s land after his death, Gus may disappear from public view if sold to private parties, unlike publicly loaned specimens in museums.