A Dinosaur Skeleton Named Jodi Sells for US$47.3 Million in New York
A dinosaur skeleton called "Jodi" sold for US$47.3 million at Sotheby's in New York on 27 October, more than five times its high estimate. An estimate is the auction house's guess at the likely price range. Sotheby's had put a high estimate of US$9 million on the fossil, according to ArtNews.
The US$47.3 million figure includes fees. The hammer price, the bid the auctioneer closes on before fees are added, was US$40.5 million. The buyer pays a premium on top of the hammer price, which is how the total rises to US$47.3 million.
"Jodi" is a nearly 20-foot-long skeleton, about 67 million years old. It was found in 2019 in the Hell Creek Formation, a rock layer in Montana known for dinosaur fossils. A rancher, Jodi Pierson, discovered it, and the fossil is named after her. Sotheby's describes it as a mounted skeleton.
The fossil belongs to a dinosaur called Nanotyrannus, a distant cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex. It is one of only three known Nanotyrannus skeletons. The specimen includes 191 fossil bones, among them a nearly complete skull. Bones of this kind are rare, which is part of why such fossils draw bids from collectors and institutions.
The fossil has been through several identities. In 2023, when it was known as "Chomper" and was thought to be a young T. rex, London dealer David Aaron offered it for US$20 million at Frieze Masters, the art fair held alongside London's Frieze week. It was later identified as a Nanotyrannus.
Other big dinosaur sales set the context. Christie's sold the T. rex "Stan" for US$31.8 million in 2020. The Stegosaurus "Apex" sold for US$44.6 million in 2024. Sotheby's has also sold "Gus," a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, for US$50.1 million, which the auction house described as a record for a dinosaur at auction. Jodi's price falls between Apex and Gus.
Visitors could see "Jodi" at Sotheby's New York until 25 October, before the sale. The auction began at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.
For anyone who has never followed an auction, the lesson is simple. The price on the screen is usually the total paid, fees included, and the hammer figure is the smaller number. The fossil's next home has not been announced.
