A 70 million-year-old skeleton of the dinosaur Gorgosaurus, the first of its kind to ever go up for auction and one of only 20 known to exist, went for $6.1 million at the auction house.
There is a Gorgosaurus skeleton on display in New York City.
This is the first time a Gorgosaurus skeleton has ever been sold for private purchase, and it was done by an anonymous buyer.
The specimen will be referred to as a tradition for dinosaur skeletons if the winning bidder gives it a nickname.
The Gorgosaurus is one of the most valuable dinosaur skeletons to ever be sold at auction and will be placed in the Natural History Museum.
Over the past few years, dinosaur bones have sold for millions. In April, the most complete skeleton ever found of the deinonychus, best known as the velociraptor from theJurassic Park franchise, sold for $12.4 million. The sales of dinosaur bones are controversial. Some experts say the auctioning of skeletons contributes to the illegal trade in fossils, while others worry that the collection of dinosaur bones by private individuals keeps them out of museums and universities.
The Gorgosaurus specimen is nearly 10 feet tall and 22 feet long and resembles a smaller-scale version of the famous tyrannosaurus rex. The Judith River Formation is famous for its dinosaur excavations and the well-preserved Gorgosaurus was found there. The skeleton was expected to go for between $5 million and $8 million.
The researchers think the Gorgosaurus had a stronger bite than any other animal. They are thought to have been more powerful and fast than the rex cousins.
It is the first time that a rare Gorgosaurus skeleton hits the auction block.
A rare dinosaur skeleton that was inspired by the Velociraptor sold for over $12 million.
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