A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed "Gus" sold for $50.1 million Tuesday at Sotheby’s, becoming the most expensive set of dinosaur bones ever sold at auction, the auction house said.The 67-million-year-old fossil blew past its $20 million to $30 million estimate after a 10-minute bidding war involving seven bidders, Sotheby's said.According to The Associated Press, the winning bidder participated by phone and chose to remain anonymous.TITANIC SURVIVOR'S LIFE JACKET SELLS FOR OVER $900K AT AUCTION, FAR EXCEEDING PRICE EXPECTATIONSFront view of the T.rex skeleton "Gus" displayed outdoors before its Sotheby's auction.
(Matthew Sherman/Sotheby’s)"This result has been years in the making, and I'm thrilled to see that the hard work and dedication of Thomas Heitkamp and his team has been recognized," Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's vice chairman and worldwide head of Science & Natural History, said in a statement."Gus is not only an exceptional find, but a specimen that's been excavated, documented, prepared, and cared for with real excellence.The market responds when great specimens are taken care of in the right way."Standing about 12½ feet tall and stretching roughly 38 feet long, Gus is one of the largest and most complete T.
rex specimens ever discovered, according to Sotheby's.CAVE DISCOVERY PUSHES BACK EVIDENCE OF HUMAN ANCESTORS USING FIRE TO 1.79M YEARS AGOThe T.rex skeleton Gus is displayed beside a person, illustrating the fossil's massive size before its record-breaking auction.
(Matthew Sherman/Sotheby’s)The skeleton includes 183 fossil bone elements, making it about 61% complete by bone count and representing an estimated 75% to 80% of the dinosaur's original bone mass.The skeleton also offers clues about what Gus endured during its lifetime.Sotheby's said several ribs and belly bones show fractures that healed before the dinosaur died, while bite marks on parts of the skull and other bones may have been caused by scavenging.The road to Tuesday'...