# Record sale of Gus the T. rex fossil

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/record-sale-of-gus-the-t-rex-fossil
> Updated: 2026-08-25T10:15:28.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

A nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed ‘Gus’ was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in New York for $50.1 million. The specimen, which lived approximately 67 million years ago, was recovered from the Hell Creek formation in Harding County, South Dakota.

Measuring 11.6 meters in length and 3.8 meters in height, the skeleton consists of 183 fossilized bones, representing roughly 75 to 80 percent of the animal’s total bone mass. The sale price exceeded the initial estimate of $20–$30 million and established a new record for the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever auctioned, surpassing the previous record held by the stegosaurus ‘Apex’.

Cassandra Hatton, head of the science and natural history department at Sotheby’s, described the specimen as one of the most significant examples of the species ever found. While the buyer’s identity remains undisclosed, the sale reflects a growing market for rare fossils among private collectors.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-25: T-Rex fossil ‘Gus’ sells for record $50.1 million at Sotheby’s

A 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton nicknamed ‘Gus’ sold for a record-breaking $50.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/t-rex-fossil-gus-sells-for-record-501-million-at-sothebys

### 2026-08-06: Gus the T. rex fetches record $50 million at Sotheby’s auction

A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton named Gus sold for $50.1 million at a New York Sotheby’s auction, setting a record for dinosaur fossils.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gus-the-t-rex-fetches-record-50-million-at-sothebys-auction

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Cite as: Record sale of Gus the T. rex fossil. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/record-sale-of-gus-the-t-rex-fossil