The largest, most complete Stegosaurus skeleton is expected to fetch up $6 million when it goes under the hammer on July 17, as part of Sotheby's Geek Week.
Measuring 11.5 feet tall and 27 feet long, the fossil, nicknamed Apex, was described as an "incredibly important discovery" by Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's senior vice president and global head of science and popular culture. Besides its impressive size, she also cites the fossil's excellent preservation, which includes evidence of arthritis, and even skin impressions. It shows no signs of combat or predator-related injuries.
Apex was discovered by Jason Cooper on his own private land in Moffat County, Colorado. His property lies on the famed Morrison Formation, a rich Upper Jurassic deposit that has also yielded fossils of Allosaurus, Dryosaurus, and Diplodocus, among many others. A commercial paleontologist, Cooper has also unearthed the most complete Torvosaurus skeleton, dubbed "Elvis," in 2012.
Sotheby's closely documented Cooper's excavation and preparation of the fossil as part of its "legacy of pioneering Natural History auctions."
Scientists are not impressed, however. University of Edinburgh's Steven Brusatte said in an e-mail to CNN: "If what the auction house is saying is true, and what I'm seeing in these photos is genuine, then this skeleton really does belong in a museum, where it can be conserved, studied by scientists, and put on display to inspire people from all walks of life."
His remark is representative of the paleontological community's opinion on private fossil sales, which has come under the spotlight in recent years following Discovery's release of the series, "Dino Hunters," and Christie's record-breaking sale of Stan, the most complete Tyrannosaurus skeleton, for $31.8 million. Both events happened in 2020. Feared lost to science at the time of its sale, Stan will become the star attraction at an Abu Dhabi museum set to open in 2025.
Before Apex, the most complete Stegosaurus specimen was the London Natural History Museum's Sophie--a much smaller specimen, which, nonetheless, significantly changed our understanding of Stegosaurus. Apex will be part of a free exhibition at Sotheby's New York galleries during Geek Week.
