Anonymous buyer spends ₹263 crore to own 150-million-year-old dinosaur fossil; ‘Bezos or Musk?' wonders social media
The buyer wants to loan it to an institution, which is suitable for a specimen of this 'rarity and importance', Sotheby's auction house said.
Professor Steve Brusatte has called such high prices shocking. The dinosaur expert from the University of Edinburgh feels museums cannot afford them.
'While I'm pleased that the buyer might loan the skeleton to a museum to be put on display, at this point, it is just a vague suggestion. The buyer is still anonymous,' Brusatte told CNN.
He fears the fossil may end up hidden in a rich person's home and never be seen by the public again.
'My fear is that this skeleton will disappear into the ether, into the mansion of an oligarch or a bank vault to accumulate value as just another investment in the portfolio of a hedge fund, and not see the light of day until it's auctioned again, or maybe never at all,' he added.
A Mars meteorite, the biggest found on Earth, was sold for $5.3 million in the same auction. In July 2024, a Stegosaurus fossil named Apex was sold by Sotheby's for $44.6 million ( ₹ 380 crore).
Social media wondered who the buyer was. 'Bezos or Musk?' asked one YouTube user. Another called it 'bare bones capitalism'.
'Are you telling me Sotheby's got 4 million in fees?' asked one user as the official price differed from what was seen in the auction video.
This fossil is special because it's the only young Ceratosaurus among the four known in the world. It is over 150 million years old. It belongs to Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian Stage, estimated to have existed 154-149 million years ago.
The fossil is 6 feet tall and over 10 feet long, with 139 bones. Its skull is almost complete with 57 bones. It is an 'exceptional, exhibition-ready mounted skeleton', according to Sotheby's.
The skull has 43 teeth, along with 5 extra loose teeth. Its sharp teeth and horned nose are clearly visible. The bones are well-preserved, dark in colour and show fine details.
Sotheby's says it is one of the best and most complete fossils of its kind. It was expected to sell for $4 to $6 million. However, it got much more after six bidders competed, CNN reported.
It was shown at a museum in Utah from 2000 to 2024. Surprisingly, scientists have never formally studied this fossil in a research paper.
Experts believe the fossil belonged to a young dinosaur due to the delicate bone structure. The skeleton has been carefully mounted in a dramatic pose with jaws open.
It includes ownership documents, x-rays, 3D scans and legal certification. According to Sotheby's, the dinosaur skeleton is offered with full ownership rights.
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