A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed "Gus" has sold for $US50.1 million (approximately $71.8 million AUD) at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026. Measuring 11.6 metres long and composed of 183 fossilised bones, "Gus" is one of the largest and most complete T-rex skeletons ever discovered.

The fossil was found on a cattle ranch in South Dakota in 2021. The sale followed a 10-minute bidding war involving seven bidders. This purchase sets a new record for the most valuable dinosaur fossil sold at auction, surpassing the previous record held by "Apex," a Stegosaurus skeleton bought for $US44.6 million ($64 million AUD) in 2024 by hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin.

Palaeontologists have expressed concerns about the growing market for dinosaur bones, fearing that valuable specimens may increasingly end up in private collections rather than public institutions. Cassandra Hatton, head of science and natural history at Sotheby's, told AFP before the auction, "The United States is the only country in the world where fossils like this are considered personal property."

"Gus" lived approximately 72 to 66 million years ago during a period characterised by a warm climate, high sea levels, and vast floodable coastal plains.

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