Newsletters
A rare 67-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton, once believed to belong to a young Tyrannosaurus rex, is heading to auction at Sotheby's in New York with an estimated price of $6 million to $9 million.
Nicknamed "Jodi," the fossil is one of only three known skeletons of Nanotyrannus, a smaller predatory dinosaur whose identity has been debated by scientists for decades.
According to Sotheby's auction listing, the skeleton measures approximately 6 meters (19.6 feet) from head to tail and contains 191 fossilized bone elements from a single animal, including a nearly complete skull.
The specimen was discovered in 2019 by rancher Jodi Pierson on private land in Montana's Hell Creek Formation, a geological formation containing fossils from the final stages of the dinosaur era. It was excavated by a team led by commercial paleontologist Clayton Phipps before entering a private collection.
For years, scientists disagreed over whether Nanotyrannus was a separate dinosaur species or simply a juvenile T. rex.
However, research published in 2025 strengthened the case for recognizing Nanotyrannus as a distinct, smaller and more lightly built predator that lived alongside T. rex approximately 67 million years ago.
Researchers identified more than 150 anatomical differences between the two dinosaurs, including longer arms, larger hand claws and a greater number of teeth in Nanotyrannus.
While an adult T. rex could reach around 12.2 meters (40 feet), Nanotyrannus measured approximately 5.5 meters (18 feet).
Sotheby's lists Jodi as Nanotyrannus cf. lancensis, a scientific designation indicating that the fossil resembles the species but has not been definitively assigned to it.
The skeleton was previously displayed at London's Frieze Masters art fair in 2023, when it was still presented as a juvenile T. rex. It has since been mounted for exhibition using original fossilized bones alongside sculpted and 3D-printed replacement elements.
Jodi's auction comes as rare dinosaur fossils continue to attract wealthy collectors, with another T. rex skeleton, nicknamed Gus, selling for a record $50.1 million at Sotheby's in July.
The growing market has also raised concerns among paleontologists about whether scientifically significant specimens will remain accessible for research after entering private collections.
Sotheby's said Jodi will be offered with ownership rights and documentation detailing its authenticity, condition and legal provenance, or documented ownership history.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
