Gus T. Rex Fossil Could Fetch Record Price at Auction

A nearly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, named Gus in honor of the late rancher Gary Licking, is poised to make history when it goes up for auction at Sotheby's in New York City on Tuesday. Unearthed from South Dakota's famed Hell Creek Formation, the fossil could command a record-shattering price, raising significant debate within the paleontological community about the implications of such scientifically valuable specimens entering private collections.

The skeleton, measuring 38 feet long and 12.5 feet tall, is approximately 61% complete by bone count and 75-80% complete by mass. It represents one of the largest T. rex specimens ever discovered and includes a well-preserved skull and complete feet, features rarely found intact. The find occurred on Licking's 6,500-acre property in Harding County, a region known for yielding significant dinosaur discoveries, including the record-setting Stan T. rex, which sold for $31.8 million in 2020.

Thomas Heitkamp, a commercial paleontologist and founder of Theropoda Expeditions, discovered Gus on the Licking ranch in 2021. His company specializes in excavating fossils from private land. "The Licking ranch had been on my radar because of its location within the Hell Creek formation," Heitkamp stated in an email. "Gary had always been interested in fossils and artifacts, and he had quite a good collection of things he had found in his home." Licking passed away before the excavation was completed and never saw the full specimen.

A Growing Divide Between Private Ownership and Public Science

The impending sale of Gus highlights a contentious issue in paleontology: the increasing commercialization of dinosaur fossils and the potential loss of scientific data when specimens are acquired by private collectors. While the sale is legal as the fossil originates from private land, it is expected to reignite discussions about stewardship and accessibility. "If this specimen goes to a private individual, it may or may not ever be seen by the public again," warned Stuart Sumida, a professor of biology at California State University, San Bernardino, and president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP). The SVP, an organization that opposes the sale of fossils, mandates that its members only study specimens held in publicly accessible collections to ensure that research can be replicated and built upon by the broader scientific community. "If you sell something, it’s generally lost to science," Sumida added.

Heitkamp's team spent three field seasons, from 2021 to 2023, excavating Gus, working around the frozen ground of South Dakota winters. The excavation involved meticulously hand-digging a 7,000-square-foot area. Following the dig, extensive lab work was undertaken to clean, prepare, and reconstruct the bones. Missing elements were replaced with epoxy resin casts, and the skeleton was mounted in a dynamic pose on a custom steel armature. Sotheby's estimates Gus could fetch up to $30 million, though its chairman, Cassandra Hatton, noted that previous fossil sales have significantly exceeded pre-sale estimates, citing the 2024 sale of Apex the Stegosaurus for $44.6 million against a $6 million estimate.

Gus also possesses unique attributes that may enhance its appeal. The skeleton's skull is 82% complete, and it includes rarely preserved elements like the wishbone and both feet. Unlike many previous sales, Gus reportedly comes with "full rights," meaning it does not incorporate casts or replicas from other dinosaur specimens, such as the well-known Stan. This originality allows a buyer to potentially create their own casts for wider distribution, further adding to its market value and potential for private or institutional display.