According to Sotheby's, "Gus" is one of the world's most complete and largest T-rex skeletons ever discovered. Its excellent state and the painstaking works involved to excavate and prepare it also contribute to its final price.
"Gus is one of the biggest and most completed T-rex ever found. It was first discovered about 5 years ago in South Dakota near Harding County, on a private, huge cattle ranch land. It's named Gus after the rancher who owns the land. He sadly passed after a year into the excavation so we named the specimen in his honor," said Cassandra Hatton, Global Head of the Science & Popular Culture Department at Sotheby's.
The previous record for a fossil auction was “Apex” the Stegosaurus, bought for 44.6 million USD in 2024.
