Found on His Birthday in His Own Backyard
A Colorado resident is poised to earn millions after unearthing an almost complete 150-million-year-old stegosaurus skeleton on his property.
The remarkable find is set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s this summer, according to CNN. However, some paleontologists argue that such a significant discovery should be displayed in a museum rather than sold to a private collector.
“It’s a great shame when a fossil like this, which could educate and inspire so many people, ends up in a private collection,” said Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, in an interview with CNN.
A Treasure Trove
In the United States, dinosaur fossils found on government land belong to the public, but those discovered on private land are typically the property of the landowner, depending on local laws. Jason Cooper, the dinosaur hunter, found the stegosaurus skeleton, nicknamed “Apex,” on his private land in Colorado on his 45th birthday in May 2022. The fossil is expected to fetch up to $6 million at auction.
This isn’t the first time a dinosaur skeleton has attracted substantial interest and financial bids. In 2020, Christie’s auctioned the world’s most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton for a record-setting $31.8 million. Although the T-rex skeleton initially caused concern among academics who wanted it for research, it was eventually acquired by The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, which plans to display it to the public in a new museum opening in 2025.
Further Reading
- Awesome Website Lets You See What Dinosaurs Lived Near Your House