Sotheby's to Auction Rare 67-Million-Year-Old Jodi Dinosaur Skeleton
A 67-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton nicknamed Jodi will go under the hammer at Sotheby's in New York on 27 October 2026, with an estimate, the auction house's expected price range, of US$6 million to US$9 million Hypebeast.
The lot will be offered in a dedicated sale, rather than as part of a larger fossil auction Artnet. That is a sign of its rarity. Only three Nanotyrannus skeletons are known to exist, according to a Sotheby's announcement.
Jodi is a mounted Nanotyrannus skeleton, listed as Nanotyrannus cf. lancensis Sotheby's. The small tyrannosaur dates to the Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous, about 67 million years ago. The bones have been assembled for display, so buyers and visitors see the animal's full shape.
The skeleton was found in 2019 by rancher Jodi Pierson, for whom it is named. It came from the Hell Creek Formation on privately owned land in Garfield County, Montana Sotheby's. Private land matters here. Fossils dug on private land in the United States can be sold, while those from most public land cannot.
Online bidding for the sale opened on 5 October 2026 at 10:00 AM EDT, according to Sotheby's sale page. The skeleton will go on public view at the auction house's Breuer building in New York from 13 October ahead of the live sale.
Sotheby's has a long history with big fossils. Its Natural History department, led by Cassandra Hatton, sold the Tyrannosaurus rex known as Sue in 1997. The department holds its flagship New York sale each July during Geek Week, with further offerings in Hong Kong and London.
What makes this stand out for dinosaur fans is the chance to see it up close. A dedicated sale with a public viewing puts a fossil that is usually behind laboratory doors in front of anyone who walks in. For a few weeks, you do not need a ticket to a museum. You just need to join the queue.
