T. rex fossil, “Gus” most expensive fossil ever sold at auction

“Gus,” one of the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons ever found, is also one of the most complete T. rex fossils ever found. Gus was excavated in the South Dakota Badlands on private land in Harding County, over field seasons in 2021, 2022 & 2023. - Photo by Timothy A. Clary

By Tami Stevenson

“Gus” is one of the largest Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever found and is one of the most complete.

     The fossil was excavated in the South Dakota Badlands on private land in Harding County, South Dakota (Hell Creek Formation), over a three-year period from 2021-2023.

     It is an incredibly well-preserved fossil that is roughly 67 million years old and measures 38 feet long and 12.5 feet tall. His skull is 54 inches long, and his femur stretches over 50 inches. The skeleton consists of 183 fossilized bones, making it about 61% complete by bone count.

      The starting bid was $19M, but the final bid? Over $50M by the time the gavel hit at Sotheby’s Natural History Auction in New York, yesterday. “Gus” is currently the most expensive fossil ever sold at auction, surpassing the previous record held by “Apex,” a Stegosaurus that sold for $44.6 million in 2024.

    According to Sotheby’s, the skeleton was offered with full rights, and the offering included full documentation certifying condition, authenticity, and legality of ownership.

     The seller/consignor was the team that discovered and excavated it: Commercial Paleontologist Thomas Heitkamp, president of Theropoda Expeditions, and the estate of the landowner, the late Gary “Gus” Licking, who passed away in 2022. Hence the T-Rex was nicknamed “Gus.”

     Theropoda Expeditions is known for tackling some of the most complex fossil puzzles, the team spent roughly three years excavating “Gus” from the ground in South Dakota.

     According to sources, the winning bid was an anonymous telephone bidder and the ultimate destination of the fossil has not yet been publicly revealed.