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Sotheby's Sells T. Rex “Gus” for $50.1 M Record Sale

7/22/2026

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Story summary
  • Sotheby's auction house sold the Tyrannosaurus rex fossil Gus for $50.1 million to an anonymous buyer on Tuesday, breaking the previous $44.6 million dinosaur record set in 2024.
  • Gus, a 38-foot, 63 % complete T. rex from Harding County, South Dakota, was named for rancher Gary “Gus” Licking, who died a year after the dig began.
  • Paleontologists Thomas Carr and Richard Butler warned that private ownership could limit research access to the fossil.