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T. Rex “Gus” Heads $30 M Auction, Raising Access Concerns

7/12/2026

Summary

Heitkamp Auctions Gus

U.S. paleontologist Thomas Heitkamp’s team excavated the T. rex Gus in South Dakota.
Cassandra Hatton valued Gus at $30 million and set a $19 million opening bid.
If the auction succeeds, Gus would become the most expensive dinosaur ever, surpassing the $44.6 million Apex stegosaurus sold in 2024.
Prof. Susannah Maidment and Smithwick warned that high prices keep museums from acquiring fossils and that private ownership can block public study, risking scientific loss.

Summary

Gus Survives Attack

Researchers report that Gus bears healed fractures and bite marks, showing it survived multiple serious injuries.
The bite marks on its skull and ribs were likely caused by another tyrannosaur, offering rare evidence of intraspecific combat.
Theropoda Expeditions excavated the fossil, which is named after Gary Licking, a former ranch owner who died in February 2022.
Sotheby’s provided documentation that verifies Gus’s authenticity and clear legal ownership, satisfying auction regulations.

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Heitkamp Auctions Gus

U.S. paleontologist Thomas Heitkamp’s team excavated the T. rex Gus in South Dakota.
Cassandra Hatton valued Gus at $30 million and set a $19 million opening bid.
If the auction succeeds, Gus would become the most expensive dinosaur ever, surpassing the $44.6 million Apex stegosaurus sold in 2024.
Prof. Susannah Maidment and Smithwick warned that high prices keep museums from acquiring fossils and that private ownership can block public study, risking scientific loss.

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