New Delhi: A massive fossilised skull once belonging to a Tyrannosaurus rex will be auctioned off next month. Sotheby's experts say the 76-million-year-old skull, which will be auctioned off live in New York on December 9, is one of the most complete palaeontologists have ever discovered, rivalling only a handful kept in museums. It is expected to fetch between $15 and $20 million which is nearly Rs.162 cr.
The skull, dubbed Maximus, was discovered on private land in the Hell Creek Formation of Harding County, South Dakota, by fossil hunters. The site has also revealed several other well-known T. rex fossils, including Sue, which sold for $8.3 million as the first dinosaur ever auctioned in 1997, and Stan, which sold for $31.8 million in 2020.
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The winning bidder will receive the 200-pound, 6-foot-7.5-inch-tall skull mounted on an iron pedestal. All of the bones are from a single T. rex, with no composite pieces added by the owner, which is also extremely rare. The tooth-bearing jaw elements, as well as the majority of the external bones and many upper and lower teeth, are all present.
The skull also has two large puncture holes, indicating that Maximus fought another dinosaur, most likely another T. rex. Sotheby's experts are unsure what caused the creature to die. The fact that it is only a skull and not a complete skeleton may make the specimen even more appealing.
Paleontologists and other experts are divided on the practise of auctioning off dinosaur fossils to private bidders. Some argue that auctions allow private collectors to obtain—and conceal—specimens that belong in public museums, whereas others are concerned that the high prices will encourage illegal digging.
