A Tyrannosaurus skeleton is to be put up for auction at Sotheby’s

A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed ‘Gus’ – one of the most complete specimens of this species ever found – has been put on display in New York.

It was unveiled at Sotheby’s auction house ahead of the sale, which is due to take place on 14 July.

The skeleton is valued at $20–30 million. According to Sotheby’s, this is the highest pre-sale estimate ever set for a dinosaur fossil.

‘Gasa’ was found on a ranch in South Dakota. The Tyrannosaurus lived around 67 million years ago, during the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous period. This was a time when the climate was warmer, sea levels were higher, and coastal plains covered a significant part of the landscape.

The skeleton is around 11.6 metres long. It comprises 183 fossilised bones, and its completeness is estimated at approximately 63 per cent. This is a very high figure for Tyrannosaurus: more often than not, palaeontologists only come across individual skeletal fragments.

‘Gasa’ can be viewed in New York ahead of the auction. The exhibition will run until 14 July, after which the skeleton will be put up for auction.