A 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed Gus sold for a world-record $50.13 million at Sotheby’s in New York, making Gus one of the most complete T. rex fossils and underscoring the ongoing debate over private ownership versus scientific study.
Paul Allen's estate sold the Seattle Seahawks for a record $9.612 billion to a Vinod Khosla–led group, with Neeru Khosla as controlling owner and Neal Khosla in a major role; the deal, awaiting NFL owners’ approval, marks the NFL’s highest franchise price and follows Allen's death years earlier.
Jackson Pollock's Number 7A, 1948 sold for $181 million at Christie's in New York, setting a new record for the artist and ranking as the fourth-most expensive work ever sold at auction; the sale from SI Newhouse's private collection included a Brancusi sculpture that fetched $107.6 million, the second-highest price for a sculpture at auction. Pollock's drip technique helped define abstract expressionism, and the previous pollock auction record was $61.2 million for Number 17, 1951 in 2021.
A Flightline colt (hip 1056) sold for a record $10.5 million at OBS April, bought by Amr Zedan for a group including West Point Thoroughbreds and Lane's End Farm, shattering the sale’s previous OBS April high of $2.45 million; the colt was consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds, highlighting strong demand for Flightline’s progeny.
Logan Paul’s rare Pokémon card sold at auction for $16.5 million, setting a new record for a Pokémon card and underscoring the booming market for high-value collectibles driven by celebrity attention.
Logan Paul’s PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator card sold for $16,492,000 at Goldin’s online auction, the highest price ever for a Pokémon card at auction and the top price for any trading card sold at auction; the final price includes the buyer’s premium and was won by AJ Scaramucci, who received the card on a $75,000 diamond necklace, continuing Paul’s 2021 purchase of the item. The card is one of 39 produced in 1998 and was designed by Atsuko Nishida.
White Castle, a 1,459-pound European crossbred steer shown by 13-year-old Caiman Cody from Hood County, sold for a record $550,000 at the Fort Worth Stock Show’s Junior Sale of Champions, surpassing the previous high of $440,000 set in 2023. Bidders included Trico Electric and Higginbotham, with 100% of the proceeds going to the youth exhibitors. The Codys plan to use the prize to grow their cattle operation and promote agriculture education; the reserve grand champion steer Cheeto sold for $300,000 to Hillwood. The stock show syndicate reported about $10.2 million raised that day, pushing its lifetime impact beyond $100 million.
A rare copy of Action Comics No. 1, which introduced Superman and was once stolen from Nicolas Cage's home, sold for a record $15 million at auction, setting a new world record for comic book sales.
A 243-kilogram bluefin tuna sold for a record 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo's Toyosu fish market, breaking previous auction records, with the buyer hoping for good luck and emphasizing the tuna's quality amid ongoing conservation efforts.
Darth Vader’s lightsaber from the original Star Wars trilogy sold for a record-breaking $3,654,000 at auction, making it the most valuable Star Wars item ever sold. The prop, used in 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi,' was sold by Propstore in Los Angeles and is a rare surviving piece from the franchise's early films.
A rare signed sports card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for a record $12.932 million, making it the second-most expensive sports collectible ever, due to its rarity and authentication, surpassing previous records and highlighting its significance in sports memorabilia.
A 2024 WNBA rookie card of Caitlin Clark sold for $660,000, setting a new women's sports card record, reflecting her massive popularity and impact in women's basketball.
The original Hermes Birkin bag sold for a record-breaking €8.6 million ($10 million) at Sotheby's Paris, becoming the most expensive Birkin ever sold, with an anonymous Japanese buyer and a notable bidding battle, highlighting its status as a cultural and luxury icon.
A 40-year-old Hermès Birkin bag, created for Jane Birkin, sold at Sotheby's auction in Paris for a record-breaking €8.6 million ($10.1 million), making it the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction. The bag, unique in design and history, was purchased by an unidentified Japanese bidder after intense bidding among nine potential buyers.
René Magritte's 1954 painting 'Empire of Light' sold for a record $121.16 million at Christie's in New York, setting a new high for both the artist and surrealist art at auction. The painting, part of Mica Ertegun's private collection, exceeded its $95 million valuation after a 10-minute bidding war. This sale highlights the autumn auction season amid a slowing art market, with Christie's reporting $2.1 billion in sales for the first half of the year, down from previous years.