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2 clusters · 69 sources · 20 days · First seen 26 days ago · Last updated 6 days ago

Nanotyrannus fossil auction

Overview

The dinosaur fossil nicknamed ‘Jodi’ underwent a significant valuation shift following scientific reclassification. Originally presented as a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex with an asking price of $20 million, a 2025 study published in the journal Nature identified the specimen as a Nanotyrannus, a distinct and smaller relative of the T-Rex.

Following this reclassification, Sotheby’s adjusted its auction estimate for the specimen to between six and nine million dollars. However, during the auction in New York City, the fossil sold for $47.3 million, significantly exceeding the revised estimates. The sale, which followed a 12-minute bidding war involving six contenders, established ‘Jodi’ as the second-most expensive set of dinosaur bones ever sold, trailing only the T. rex skeleton ‘Gus,’ which fetched $50.1 million earlier this year.

Discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson in the Hell Creek Formation and excavated by commercial paleontologist Clayton Phipps, the skeleton is approximately 20 feet long and 6.5 feet tall. It is roughly 70% complete, consisting of 191 bone elements, including a “virtually complete” skull. The high price tag has reignited discussions within the scientific community regarding the ethics of private collectors acquiring significant paleontological finds versus preserving them in public museums for research and education.

Entities

Sotheby’s · New York · Nanotyrannus · Sotheby's · Montana

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] The Nanotyrannus skeleton nicknamed ‘Jodi’ sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York. krmg.com · www.artnews.com · www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The fossil was discovered in 2019 by Jodi Pierson in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation. krmg.com · www.artnews.com · www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com
[● 4 SOURCES] A T. rex fossil named ‘Gus’ sold for $50.1 million at Sotheby’s earlier this summer. krmg.com · www.artnews.com · www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The auction house estimated the fossil would fetch between $6 million and $9 million. krmg.com · www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The skeleton is approximately 70% complete. krmg.com · www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The winning bidder for the Nanotyrannus skeleton chose to remain anonymous. krmg.com · www.bangordailynews.com · wtop.com
[● 3 SOURCES] A Nanotyrannus skeleton sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York. www.leinetal24.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.mannheim24.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The fossil's estimated value was between $6 million and $9 million. www.leinetal24.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.mannheim24.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The skeleton is approximately two meters high and nearly six meters long. www.leinetal24.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.mannheim24.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The fossil is nearly 70 percent complete. www.leinetal24.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.mannheim24.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Nanotyrannus lived approximately 67 million years ago. www.leinetal24.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.mannheim24.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The Nanotyrannus had longer forelimbs, larger claws, and narrower teeth than the T-Rex. www.leinetal24.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.mannheim24.de

Timeline

6 days ago

[CULTURE] 69 sources
Nanotyrannus fossil sells for $47.3 million at New York auction
A rare Nanotyrannus skeleton named “Jodi” sold for $47.3 million at a New York auction, far exceeding estimates and becoming the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold.
26 days ago

[CULTURE] 4 sources
Dinosaur fossil 'Jodi' value drops following scientific reclassification
A dinosaur fossil named 'Jodi' has seen its auction estimate drop to $6–$9 million after scientists reclassified it from a young T-Rex to a Nanotyrannus.

Sources

abc11.com · abc30.com · abc7.com · abc7news.com · artnews.com · aventurasnahistoria.uol.com.br · bangordailynews.com · bettinglab.dk · bl-portal.com · brasilemfolhas.com.br · brobible.com · cnn.co.jp · curl.haxx.se · danas.rs · desitalkchicago.com · deultimominuto.net · diario.mx · dtnext.in · econoTimes.com · elperiodicousa.com · epochtimes.cz · ertnews.gr · exame.com · fehmarn24.de · foxweather.com · gbnews.com · ghanaguardian.com · gr.euronews.com · gundelik.az · haberaktuel.com · independent.co.uk · kalingatv.com · kesq.com · keyt.com · kreiszeitung.de · krmg.com · latestly.com · leinetal24.de · localnews8.com · losmocanos.com · mannheim24.de · merca2.es · motorcyclenews.com · mymotherlode.com · newsbomb.gr · newsbytesapp.com · newsday.com · nezavisen.mk

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history