A fossilized three-meter dinosaur skeleton known as “Jodi” sold for 47.3 million dollars at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, far exceeding pre-sale expectations. The specimen consists of 191 fossilized bone elements and ranks as the second most valuable dinosaur fossil ever auctioned.
Discovery in Montana and Pre-Sale Expectations
The skeleton was discovered in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana by landowner Jodi Pierson. Commercial paleontologist Clayton Phipps subsequently excavated the remains. Sotheby’s initially placed the pre-sale estimate at 9 million dollars, with an opening bid starting at 6 million dollars. The final sale price obliterated those projections after a 12-minute bidding war involving six potential buyers, leaving the identity of the purchaser unannounced. The specimen is estimated to be 67 million years old and features a well-preserved, nearly complete skull, described by Sotheby’s as ready for display.
Scientific Classification as Nanotyrannus
The sale took place roughly one year after researchers formally verified that the specimen belongs to a distinct dinosaur genus rather than a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. Portsmouth University paleontologist Megan Jacobs explained on BBC Radio 4’s Today program that scientists long mistook the animal for a young T. rex, though it features a smaller, more slender build and blade-like teeth suited for slicing flesh. Tyrannosaurus rex and the newly classified genus coexisted approximately 67 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Clayton Phipps also discovered the fossil known as the Fighting Dinosaurs, which includes the remains of a Nanotyrannus and a Triceratops in conflict, located 13 kilometers away from where Jodi was found in 2006. That discovery provided key evidence for research published by Lindsay Zanno and James Napoli arguing that Nanotyrannus is a separate genus from T. rex.
Only three Nanotyrannus skeletons are known to exist. Now, #SothebysNewYork has one of them. Its name is Jodi. Come see Jodi in person at the Breuer building in New York from 13 October ahead of the live sale on 27 October. Measuring approximately 6.5-feet-tall when mounted… pic.twitter.com/oMHI8OKdIP
Public Display versus Private Collection Debate
The multimillion-dollar transaction reignited a broader debate within the scientific community over whether significant paleontological specimens should remain accessible to the public or disappear into private collections. Before its reclassification, Jodi was exhibited in October 2023 at the Frieze Masters art fair in London under the label of a juvenile T. rex. Sotheby’s cataloged the animal as one of only three known specimens of its kind, marking the first time the genus has hit the open market since its official validation.
Auction Valuation Records
Jodi now holds the second-place spot among the most expensive dinosaur skeletons ever sold at auction, trailing only a T. rex named Gus that fetched 50.1 million dollars in July. The third most valuable fossil on record is a Stegosaurus named Apex, which Sotheby’s sold for 44.6 million dollars in July 2024.
