An anonymous bidder purchased a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil nicknamed "Gus" for $50.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction on Tuesday. The specimen, measuring 38 feet long, is described as one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons ever discovered. The fossil was originally found on a ranch in South Dakota and excavated by the private firm Theropoda Expeditions.
The sale has drawn criticism from members of the scientific community who expressed concern that the fossil will no longer be available for public research or exhibition. Stuart Sumida, president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, stated that private sales remove important data from the scientific process and prevent public access. Several major institutions, including the Smithsonian, confirmed they did not participate in the bidding.
Supporters of commercial fossil sales, such as Walter Stein of PaleoAdventures, argue that private companies provide the labor and resources necessary to excavate specimens that might otherwise erode. Stein noted that many T. rex fossils have been recovered through commercial interests. Sotheby’s has previously stated that many private buyers eventually donate their acquisitions to museums or make them available for public viewing.