NEW YORK — The nearly complete fossilized remains of a 161-million-year-old stegosaurus discovered in Colorado in 2022 will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York next week, auction house officials said.
The dinosaur that Sotheby’s calls Apex stands 11 feet (3.3 meters) tall and measures 27 feet (8.2 meters) nose to tail, according to Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s global head of science and popular culture.
The stegosaurus, with its distinctive pointy dorsal plates, is one of the world’s most recognizable dinosaurs.
Apex, which Hatton called “a coloring book dinosaur,” was discovered in May 2022 on private land near the town of Dinosaur, Colorado. The excavation was completed in October 2023, Sotheby’s said.
Though experts believe stegosauruses used their fearsome tail spikes to fight, this specimen shows no signs of combat, Sotheby’s said. The fossil does show evidence of arthritis, suggesting that Apex lived to an advanced age.
Hatton said Apex was found “with the tail curled up underneath the body, which is a common death pose for animals.”
The dinosaur will be auctioned on July 17 as part of Sotheby’s “Geek Week” series.
Sotheby’s is estimating that it will sell for $4 million to $6 million, but that’s just an educated guess.
“This is an incredibly rare animal,” Hatton said. “A stegosaurus of this caliber has never sold at auction before, so we will find out what it is actually worth.”
Stegosaurus Fossils Being Auctioned Display Evidence of Arthritis
Recently, a rare and fascinating discovery has been made in the world of paleontology. Fossils of a Stegosaurus, a herbivorous dinosaur that roamed the Earth over 150 million years ago, are set to be auctioned off. What makes this particular find so intriguing is that the fossils show clear evidence of arthritis in the dinosaur’s bones.
Arthritis is a condition that affects the joints, causing pain, inflammation, and stiffness. While it is commonly associated with humans and other mammals, it is not often seen in dinosaurs. The presence of arthritis in the Stegosaurus fossils sheds light on the health and well-being of these ancient creatures.
The auction of these fossils has sparked a debate among paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts. Some believe that the presence of arthritis in the Stegosaurus bones is a significant discovery that could provide valuable insights into the health and behavior of dinosaurs. Others argue that the auctioning off of such important scientific specimens is unethical and goes against the principles of preserving and studying fossils for research purposes.
Despite the controversy surrounding the auction, there is no denying the importance of the discovery of arthritis in the Stegosaurus fossils. The presence of this condition suggests that dinosaurs, like modern animals, were susceptible to age-related diseases and health issues. It also raises questions about how arthritis may have affected the mobility and quality of life of these ancient creatures.
Researchers are eager to study the Stegosaurus fossils further to learn more about the extent of the arthritis and how it may have impacted the dinosaur’s daily life. By analyzing the bones and conducting further research, scientists hope to gain a better understanding of how arthritis evolved in dinosaurs and how it may have influenced their behavior and survival.
The auction of the Stegosaurus fossils may be controversial, but it has brought attention to an important aspect of dinosaur biology that has long been overlooked. As more research is conducted on these fascinating fossils, we may uncover even more secrets about the lives of these majestic creatures that once roamed the Earth millions of years ago.
