A rare dinosaur skeleton identified as an adult Nanotyrannus, a smaller relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, has sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby's in New York, making it one of the most expensive dinosaur fossils ever auctioned.
Named Jodi, the specimen attracted a 12-minute bidding battle involving six contenders. The final price far exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $6 million to $9 million, according to CNN. The sale came close to the auction record for a dinosaur fossil, set by the T. rex skeleton Gus, which fetched $50.1 million in July.
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Jodi's rarity is a major factor behind its value. Only three relatively complete Nanotyrannus skeletons are known to science, making it an exceptional specimen for collectors and palaeontology researchers.
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Standing 9.6 feet tall and measuring 19.6 feet long, Jodi is just over half the length of Gus. According to Sotheby's, the fossil comprises 191 bone elements and includes a virtually complete skull. Its size and bone development suggest that the dinosaur was an adult.
The skeleton also has scientific significance. Researchers have long debated whether Nanotyrannus was a distinct dinosaur genus or simply a juvenile T. rex. Research published in 2025 strengthened the case for recognising Nanotyrannus as a separate genus, adding to the scientific interest surrounding specimens such as Jodi.
The skeleton was discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson, after whom it was named, and excavated by Clayton Phipps, a commercial palaeontologist known as the “Dinosaur Cowboy”.
Jodi was unearthed in the Hell Creek Formation, a fossil-rich geological region spanning Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas. The area has yielded several important dinosaur discoveries, including T. rex fossils.
Other known Nanotyrannus specimens include the tyrannosaur involved in the famous “Duelling Dinosaurs” fossil, now housed at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and Jane, displayed at the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Illinois.
The auction has renewed concerns among scientists about significant fossils being sold to private collectors. Researchers fear that specimens acquired by wealthy individuals could become inaccessible for scientific study.
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Steve Brusatte, a professor of palaeontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, told CNN that the sale raised concerns about one of the best Nanotyrannus skeletons potentially disappearing into a private collection rather than being displayed in a museum.
David Hone, a palaeontologist at Queen Mary University of London, also expressed surprise at the final price and questioned whether rising prices for dinosaur fossils could continue indefinitely.
Some of Jodi's missing bones have been replaced with custom 3D-printed and sculpted elements. The fossil was also sold with rights allowing its new owner, whose identity remains unknown, to produce and sell replicas.
The $47.3 million sale highlights the commercial appeal of rare dinosaur fossils, but Jodi's future accessibility to researchers and the public remains uncertain.
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