Nanotyrannus isn’t quite the same as a T. rex, but its skeleton bears a striking resemblance to one. The AP reported that the rare dinosaur skeleton just sold at auction for $47.3 million, a much higher sum than originally anticipated.
Sotheby’s originally predicted the specimen would sell for between $6 to 9 million.
While the current owners wish to remain anonymous, experts agree that the Nanotyrannus skeleton will make an excellent addition to any exhibit.
Bidders Flocked to Purchase the Nanotyrannus Fossil
The AP notes that many interested buyers were bidding on the Nanotyrannus skeleton. It was affectionately nicknamed “Jodi,” after the Montana rancher who discovered it on her land seven years ago.
However, it wasn’t much of a contest. The auction only lasted 12 minutes.
After selling for a whopping $47.3 million, Jodi has become the second-highest dinosaur specimen to sell through Sotheby’s. The outlet notes that a T. rex skeleton nicknamed “Gus” sold for just over $50 million this summer.
In the past, some researchers have mistaken a Nanotyrannus skeleton for that of a juvenile T. rex. In fact, their skeletons are remarkably similar. Both species lived during the Cretaceous period, but had a few distinct differences.
As time went on, scientists determined that Nanotyrannus was a completely different dinosaur from a T. rex. It had much longer arms and claws, and “blade-like teeth,” according to the AP. It was also smaller than its cousin.
Jodi is a unique find for the science community due to her extreme rarity. There are only two other Nanotyrannus skeletons known to exist. Though she is much smaller than her T. rex cousins, she certainly isn’t small. The specimen stands at 9’6″ and stretches to almost 20 feet long.
Experts Believe Jodi Is About 70% Complete
Though Jodi isn’t a complete specimen, she is in remarkable shape. Many dinosaur fossils are limited to a few bone fragments. The AP estimates that this Nanotyrannus is approximately 70% complete.
Sotheby’s released an official statement, expressing gratitude for the researchers who successfully recovered the skeleton and successfully excavated it from the Montana ranch. The show “Dino Hunters” explored the quest to recover Jodi’s remains.
“Their commitment to understanding and preserving this remarkable specimen has helped bring us to this moment, a testament to the fact that we can all make major contributions to science,” Sotheby’s head of science and natural history, Cassandra Hatton, declared in the statement.
Many are interested to learn where the Nanotyrannus specimen will ultimately be displayed.
Rare Dinosaur Skeleton Fetches $47M at Auction, Cousin of T. Rex