List of dinosaur specimens sold at auction

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Many dinosaur specimens have been sold at auction, as part of the fossil trade. On average, around five dinosaur skeletons are put up for auction each year.[1] These specimens are mostly purchased by wealthy private collectors and museums in Europe and the United States, though interest has been growing in China as well.[1] The private sale of fossils has attracted criticism from paleontologists, as it presents an obstacle to fossils being publicly accessible to research.[2]

Most countries where relatively complete dinosaur specimens are commonly found have laws against the export of fossils. The United States allows the sale of specimens collected on private property. As such, the majority of dinosaur fossils sold at auction were collected in the United States.[3] However, smuggled specimens, particularly from Mongolia, also appear at auctions, often with falsified information on their source.[4]

This list includes both specimens sold at auction and specimens that were scheduled to be sold at auction that have received news coverage.

Table

More information Name (Spec #), Taxon ...
Sortable table
Name (Spec #) Taxon Reported material Discovery Auction Notes Images Source
Auction House Date Location Sale price (USD)
Original Adjusted[5]
Unidentified Nest with 10 eggs Found in China Bonhams September 15, 1993 London $76,000 $169,385 Purchaser was an anonymous American buyer. Collector also bought a set of 5 eggs at same auction for $18,750. [6][7]
Sue[a] (FMNH PR 2081) Tyrannosaurus rex 90% of a skeleton Discovered August 12, 1990, by Sue Hendrickson in the Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, United States Excavated by Hendrickson and the Black Hills Institute. Sotheby's October 4, 1997 New York City $8,362,500[b] $16,771,805 Purchased by and now displayed at the Field Museum of Natural History. Most complete known specimen of Tyrannosaurus,[8] and among the largest.[9] Most expensive fossil sold until the sale of Stan in 2020.
[10]
Barnum Tyrannosaurus rex 20% of a skeleton Collected by Japeth Boyce in Wyoming, United States in 1995 Bonhams May 16, 2004 Los Angeles $93,250[c] $158,949 Reported to potentially be the same individual as the first T. rex specimen ever discovered, now at the Natural History Museum, London. [11][12]
Unidentified Nest with 22 eggs Collected in Guangdong, China in 1984 Bonhams December 3, 2006 Los Angeles $420,000 $670,766 Sale later cancelled and seized by customs agents. [13][14]
Tarbosaurus bataar Skull Collected from Mongolia I. M. Chait March 25, 2007 New York City $270,000[d] $419,234 Specimen bought by actor Nicolas Cage. Specimen determined to have been illegally exported. Cage surrendered the specimen to authorities for repatriation to Mongolia in 2015 [15][16][2][17]
Triceratops Skull Maynards January 8, 2009 Vancouver $66,500[e] $99,796 Originated from the collection of a Japanese department store. Sold significantly below estimates. [18][19][20][21]
Edmontosaurus $150,000 $225,105 Originated from the collection of a Japanese department store. Sold significantly below estimates.
Triceratops 80% complete skull Collected in North Dakota, US Bonhams June 1, 2009 New York City $242,000 $363,169 [22][23]
Alioramus remotus Skull Collected in "Central Asia" (presumably Mongolia) $206,000 $309,144 [22][24]
Edmontosaurus 90% complete skeleton Found near Ruth Mason Ranch near Faith, South Dakota, US sometime prior to 1991 Bonhams October 3, 2009 Las Vegas $458,000 $687,320 [25][26][27]
Allosaurus Skeleton Collected in Wyoming, US Sotheby's October 5, 2010 Paris $1,815,450[f] $2,680,372 Said to originate from an old German collection [28][29]
Fighting Pair Allosaurus + Stegosaurus Stegosaurus: 75%–80% of a skeleton; incorporates elements of second specimen. Allosaurus: mostly complete, including complete skull Collected in 2007 from Dana Quarry, Wyoming, US Heritage Auctions June 12, 2011 Dallas $2,748,000 $3,932,973 A carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaur preserved together. Purchased by a museum. [30][31][32][33]
Triceratops "Virtually complete" skeleton along with a skull Found in South Dakota, US in 2004, the skull and skeleton were found 750 ft apart, and it is not clear that they belong to the same individual $657,250 $940,665 Auctioned in the same sale as "Fighting Pair" [32][34]
Tarbosaurus bataar Skeleton Collected from Mongolia Heritage Auctions May 20, 2012 New York City $1,050,000 $1,472,496 Sale later withdrawn. Subject of the legal case United States v. One Tyrannosaurus Bataar Skeleton and subsequently returned to Mongolia.
[35][36]
Misty Diplodocus Skeleton Collected from Dana Quarry, Wyoming, US, in 2009 Summers Place November 27, 2013 Billingshurst $652,000[g] $901,157 Purchased by the Natural History Museum of Denmark.
[37][38][39][40]
Freya Hypacrosaurus Skeleton Collected from Montana, US Summers Place June 7, 2016 Billingshurst $178,200[h] $239,058 [41][42]
Kan Allosaurus Skeleton Collected from Harlan Ranch, Johnson County, Wyoming, US, in 2013 Drouot December 10, 2016 Paris $1,155,000[i] $1,549,449 Sold to Kleber Rossillon, on display at the Château de Marqueyssac. [43][44][45][46]
Triceratops Skull Collected in Wyoming, US Drouot March 7, 2017 Paris $188,000 $246,932 [47][48]
Diplodocus/Kaatedocus[j] Skeleton Eastern Big Horn Mountains, Johnson County, Wyoming Drouot April 11, 2018 Paris $1,771,200[k] $2,270,920 Sold alongside an Allosaurus, both sold to same collector, a Filipino businessman[49] [1][50][51]
Allosaurus 60% complete skeleton[52] Eastern Big Horn Mountains, Johnson County, Wyoming Paris $1,734,300[l] $2,223,609 Sold alongside a Diplodocus, both sold to same collector, a Filipino businessman[49] [1][50][53]
Allosaurus 70% of a skeleton Collected in 2013 in Wyoming, US Drouot June 4, 2018 Paris $2,340,000[m] $3,000,199 Potentially represents a new species [54]
Maximus Thescelosaurus 70%–75% of skeleton, including parts of skull Collected in 2018 in the Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, US Piguet September 24, 2019 Geneva $226,000[n] $285,000 [55][56][57]
Stan[o] (BHI 3033) Tyrannosaurus rex 70% of a skeleton Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, US Found by Stan Sacrison in 1987, and excavated by the Black Hills Institute in 1992. Christie's October 6, 2020 New York City $31,800,000 $39,560,885 Purchased by the state of Abu Dhabi.[58] Most expensive fossil ever sold until the sale of the Stegosaurus Apex in 2024. Sale did not include rights to reproduction, which were retained by Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. Numerous replicas are exhibited in museums worldwide.
[59]
Big Sara Allosaurus Skeleton Collected in Wyoming, US in 2016 Drouot October 13, 2020 Paris $3,466,000[p] $4,311,888 [60]
Big John[q] Triceratops 60% of a skeleton, including 75% of skull Found by Walter Stein in May 2014, in the Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, US Excavation complete by August 2015. Drouot October 21, 2021 Paris $7,740,000[r] $9,196,181 Purchased by an anonymous American collector. Guinness World Records claimed it was the largest known Triceratops skeleton,[62] with a skull reconstructed to be 2.62 metres (8.6 ft) long. Most expensive Triceratops sold, and most expensive fossil sold in Europe.
[63][61]
Hector Deinonychus Around 50% of a skeleton with 126 preserved bones, missing all or most of the skull Excavated from Wolf Canyon, Carbon County, Montana, US from sediments of the Cloverly Formation in February 2015 Christie's May 12, 2022 New York City $12,412,500 $13,656,008 Previously displayed at the Natural History Museum of Denmark from 2020-2021
[64][65][66][67]
Gorgosaurus Partial skeleton consisting of 79 elements Excavated from the sediments of the Judith River Formation in Chouteau County, Montana, US, in 2018 Sotheby's July 28, 2022 New York City $6,069,500 $6,677,554 [68][69]
Triceratops Skull Excavated from the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota, US $661,500 $727,770 [70][69]
Allosaurus Articulated leg and foot Excavated from Sutton Quarry in Moffat County, Colorado, US $163,800 $180,210 [71][72]
Zephyr Camptosauridae Partial skeleton Found near Skull Creek in Moffat County, Colorado, US in 2019 Giquello & Associés October 20, 2022 Paris $660,738 $726,932 [73][74]
Maximus Tyrannosaurus rex Skull Excavated from the Hell Creek Formation in Harding County, South Dakota, US in 2020 Sotheby's December 9, 2022 New York City $6,069,500 $6,677,554 Sold well below estimate of $15–20 million [75][76][77]
293 Trinity Tyrannosaurus rex Composite ~ 50% complete skeleton of 293 bones from three individuals Excavated from several sites in the Hell Creek Formation, Montana and the Lance Formation, Wyoming, US between 2008 and 2013 Koller April 18, 2023 Zurich $6,200,000 [s] $6,551,442 [78][79][80]
Barry Camptosaurus 80% complete skeleton with a largely complete skull Discovered around 2000 in sediments of the Morrison Formation in Crook County, Wyoming, United States Drouot October 20, 2023 Paris $985,447[t] $1,041,306 [81][82][83][84]
Apex Stegosaurus Largely complete skeleton, most complete known skeleton of Stegosaurus. Discovered in 2020 in Moffat County, Colorado, US Sotheby's July 17, 2024 New York City $44,600,000 $45,773,311 Sold 11 times above pre-sale estimates to American billionaire financier Kenneth Griffin. Most expensive fossil ever sold as of 2024.
[85]
Vulcan Apatosaurus 75-80% complete skeleton Discovered in 2018 in Wyoming, United States Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa November 16, 2024 Paris $6,400,000[u] $6,568,367 [86]
Allosaurus Two skeletons, one adult one juvenile Excavated between 1994 and 2018, in Carbon County, Wyoming, US Christie's December 12, 2024 London $10,635,666[v] $10,915,463 Purchased by businessman Su Binghai, later confiscated by UK authorities under the Proceeds of Crime Act [87][88][89][90]
Stegosaurus Partial skeleton with "144 fossil bone elements" Excavated between 2002 and 2018, in Carbon County, Wyoming, US $5,592,555[w] $5,739,681 [91][88][89][90]
Ceratosaurus Partial skeleton of a juvenile, consisting of "139 original fossil bone elements with additional sculpted materials" Discovered in the Bone Cabin Quarry (West), Wyoming, in 1996 Sotheby's July 16, 2025 New York City $30,510,000 $30,510,000 The specimen had been on display at the Museum of Ancient Life, Thanksgiving Point, Utah but was de-accessioned from the collection in 2024.
[92][93]
Pachycephalosaurus Skull Excavated in 2024 on privately owned land in the Hell Creek Formation, Perkins County, South Dakota $1,400,000 $1,400,000 [94][95]
Cera Triceratops Complete skeleton of a juvenile Excavated in 2016 in the South Dakotan section of the Hell Creek Formation Phillips November 20, 2025 New York City $5,400,000 $5,400,000 Named after the Cera, a character from the cartoon The Land Before Time [96]
Spike Caenagnathidae (oviraptorosaur) Partial skeleton with 100 bones, including "jaws, hands, pelvis, and feet" Excavated in 2022 from sediments of the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota Christie's December 11, 2025 London $4,657,056[x] $4,657,056 [97][98][99]
Trey Triceratops Largely complete adult skeleton Excavated in 1993 from the Lance Formation near Lusk, Wyoming. Joopiter March 31, 2026 Online $5,500,000 $5,500,000 Previously on display at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center [100]
Gus Tyrannosaurus "skeleton, judged to be one of the largest and most complete ever unearthed" "approximately 61% complete by bone count, 75 to 80% complete in terms of bone mass" Excavated in 2021 onwards from the Hell Creek Formation, Harding County, South Dakota, United States Sothebys July 14, 2026 New York $50,100,000 $50,100,000 Named for Gary "Gus" Licking, land-owner of the excavation site. [101][102][103]
Allosaurus Skull Excavated from 1996 to 1997 from the Morrison Formation in Moffat County, Colorado, United States Sotheby's July 14, 2026 New York $1,536,000[104] $1,536,000 The estimate had been $800,000 to $1,200,000.
Tyrannosaurus Leg Excavated from the Hell Creek Formation in Ziebach County, South Dakota, United States Sotheby's July 14, 2026 New York $1,792,000[105] $1,792,000
Gryposaurus Skeleton "with additional cast elements" Excavated from the Judith River Formation in Choteau County, Montana, United States Sotheby's July 14, 2026 New York $1,280,000[106] $1,280,000
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Specimens planned to be auctioned

Some specimens planned to be auctioned did not sell, due to failing to meet the reserve price, legal challenges, or other obstacles. This list also includes specimens whose planned auction was announced, but for which information on whether it was sold is not available.

More information Name (Spec #), Taxon ...
Sortable table
Name (Spec #) Taxon Material Discovery Auction Notes Images Source
Auction House Date Location
Z-Rex Tyrannosaurus Found in South Dakota, US in 1992 eBay December 1999 N/A Disrupted by prank bidders [107][108]
Millionaire.com January 2000
Conchoraptor Found in China Guernsey's June 2004 New York City Failed to receive a single bid. [109][110]
Stygimoloch Largely complete skull Near Gumbo Butte, Montana, US Failed to meet reserve price [110]
Triceratops Found in North Dakota, US, in 2004 Christie's April 2008 Paris Failed to meet reserve price, subsequently purchased by an American collector
[111][112][113]
Dryosaurus Found in Wyoming, US in 1993 I. M. Chait March 2009 New York City Failed to meet reserve price. Subsequently purchased by businessman John S. Middleton and donated to the Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College. Reported to be one of the most complete Dryosaurus specimens.
[114][115][116][117]
Samson Tyrannosaurus 55% complete skeleton Near Buffalo, South Dakota, US prior to 1994 Bonhams October 2009 Las Vegas Failed to meet reserve price at auction, subsequently purchased by an undisclosed buyer
[25][118][119]
Prosaurolophus Skeleton with mummified skin Sotheby's October 2011 Paris Failed to meet reserve price
[120][121][122]
CLOVER Le Combattant Tenontosaurus Largely complete skeleton Montana, US in 2008
[120][123][121][122]
Suuwassea
[120]
Triceratops Skull [120]
Dueling Dinosaurs Nanotyrannus lancensis + Triceratops Montana, US, in 2006 Bonhams November 2013 New York City Failed to meet reserve price [124]
Dragon King Triceratops 95% complete skull Montana, US First spotted by landowner Ray Novakovich in 1992, but not excavated until 2003. Evolved LTD 2015 Hong Kong Reported in 2015 to be largest known Triceratops skull, at 2.8 metres (9.2 ft) long. Unclear if the specimen was sold. [125][126]
Little Al Allosaurus Juvenile skeleton Wyoming, US, in 2009 Summers Place November 2015 Billingshurst Failed to meet reserve price [40][127][128]
Stegosaurus Wyoming, US, in 2010 Auctionata June 2016 Berlin Failed to meet reserve price [129]
Allosaurus 55% of a skeleton Found in the United States Artcurial November 2018 Paris Failed to meet reserve price [130][131][132]
Camptosaurus 90% complete Wyoming, US Failed to meet reserve price [130][131][132]
Ornitholestes + Othnielia Two skeletons mounted in a combat pose Johnson County, Wyoming, US Drouot April 2019 Paris Failed to meet reserve price
[133][134][135]
Hypacrosaurus Adult and juvenile skeleton Glacier County, Montana, US
[133][136][135]
Skinny Diplodocidae 90% of skeleton, with preserved patches of skin Wyoming, US in 2012 Drouot June 2019 Paris Potentially a new species. Displayed in Heathrow Airport in April–May 2019, prior to auction. Failed to meet reserve price. [137][138]
Diplodocus Dana Quarry, Wyoming, US in 2008 Emirates Auction August–September 2019 Dubai Originally at The Dubai Mall, no bidders
[139][140]
Shen Tyrannosaurus Partial skeleton with 80 bones Excavated in Montana, US in 2020 from sediments of the Hell Creek Formation Christie's November 2022 Hong Kong Sale cancelled after it became known that the casts used to replace missing bones were based on those of Stan, which is the intellectual property of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research [141][142]
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See also

Footnotes

  1. [a]
    Named in honor of the discoverer
  2. [b]
    Price includes buyer's premium, winning bid of $7,600,000
  3. [c]
    Price includes buyer's premium, winning bid of $80,000
  4. [d]
    Includes buyer's premium; winning bid was $230,000
  5. [e]
    $70,000 Canadian dollars, reported as $60,000 USD in US sources.
  6. [f]
    €1,296,750
  7. [g]
    £400,000
  8. [h]
    £132,000 inc. buyers premium
  9. [i]
    €1.1m
  10. [j]
    Stated to be a Kaatedocus specimen in the auction listing, but reported as a Diplodocus specimen in news coverage
  11. [k]
    €1.44m
  12. [l]
    €1.41m
  13. [m]
    €2m
  14. [n]
    225,000 CHF
  15. [o]
    Named in honor of the discoverer
  16. [p]
    €3 million
  17. [q]
    Named in honor of the owner of the land where the specimen was collected[61]
  18. [r]
    €6.65m
  19. [s]
    5,550,000 CHF
  20. [t]
    € 932,100
  21. [u]
    ~€6,000,000
  22. [v]
    £8,130,000
  23. [w]
    £4,275,000
  24. [x]
    £3,466,000

References

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