A rare Ceratosaurus fossil, one of only four known to exist, has been sold at auction for $30.5 million. The juvenile fossil, which is 6 feet 3 inches tall and 10 feet 8 inches long, features a nasal horn, long teeth, and bony armor on its back and tail. It was found in Wyoming in 1996 and dates from the late Jurassic period, around 150 million years ago.
The fossil, made up of 139 bone elements, includes a complete skull with 57 bones. It has been displayed at various museums, including the Museum of Ancient Life in Utah, but has not been formally studied or described in a scientific journal.
Sotheby’s auction house reported that six bidders engaged in a six-minute bidding battle before settling on the sale price. The buyer plans to loan the fossil to an institution, which could spark future research activity.
The rare sale is part of a trend showing increased interest in fossils and natural history. Sotheby’s also recently sold the most valuable fossil ever auctioned, Apex the Stegosaur, for $44.6 million in July 2024. Experts note that high prices for dinosaur specimens are driven by collectors’ desire for “distinction” and aesthetic appeal.
However, some experts express concern that the sale may lead to the fossil being kept out of public view. Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology, fears that the buyer’s intentions may be more focused on accumulating wealth than sharing knowledge with the public.
Despite these concerns, Cassandra Hatton, global head of science and natural history at Sotheby’s, believes that there is a symbiotic relationship between the market and wider research interests. She notes that the sale could potentially inspire future research activity and increase public interest in fossils and natural history.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/18/science/ceratosaurus-fossil-auction-scli-intl