Smithsonian Magazine

This T. Rex Fossil Could Fetch the Largest Sum of Any Dinosaur Ever Auctioned. Scientists Worry They’ll Lose the Chance to Study It

Bids on "Gus" will start at $19 million, a steep price for public institutions. Specimens in private collections can be harder for researchers to examine, and they're practically impossible to include

Mystery bidder buys T. rex nicknamed 'Gus' for a record $50 million

A Tyrannosaurus rex fossil billed as one of the world's largest and most complete specimens was sold for a record $50.1 million Tuesday to a mystery bidder.

A cattle rancher found dinosaur bones on his land for years — then his ranch sold a T. Rex for $50 million

The 2026 T Rex goes by Gus – named after Gary “Gus” Licking, the owner of the South Dakota ranch where he was discovered.

Gus to Become Priciest Dinosaur? T Rex Worth $30M Likely to End Up in Private Collection at Sotheby's

The rare T. rex fossil Gus is expected to fetch up to $30 million at Sotheby's, renewing debate over whether scientifically important dinosaur fossils should enter private collections.