NEW YORK — A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton unearthed on a ranch in western South Dakota sold Tuesday for $50.13 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, far exceeding the house’s pre-sale estimate and drawing national attention to the Hell Creek Formation where the fossil was found.
From Harding County ranch to international sale
The specimen, nicknamed "Gus", was discovered in 2021 on private land in Harding County and was excavated, prepared and mounted over a five-year period by Theropoda Expeditions, a Texas company that specializes in commercial fossil work. The mounted skeleton measures about 38 feet long and stands more than 12 feet tall and is described as one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever recovered.
Sotheby’s listed the lot with an initial price of $19 million and a pre-sale estimate near $30 million. The final hammer price of $50.13 million places the sale among the largest sums paid for dinosaur specimens at auction.
Local roots, global market
The ranch where the bones were found is owned by Dana Licking and her late husband, Gary Licking, whose nickname was Gus — the source of the specimen’s informal name. The site lies within the Hell Creek Formation, a geologic area spanning parts of northwestern South Dakota, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming that has produced numerous important Cretaceous fossils.
The transaction underscores an ongoing trend in which commercially excavated fossils move into private and institutional collections through high-end markets. Sotheby’s did not disclose the buyer.
- Specimen: Tyrannosaurus rex, late Cretaceous period
- Discovery: Harding County ranch, 2021
- Preparation: Five years by Theropoda Expeditions
- Sale price: $50.13 million at Sotheby’s, New York
What it means for South Dakota
Harding County and the Hell Creek Formation have long been important sources of paleontological finds. High-dollar sales like this spotlight the scientific and commercial value of fossils from the region and often prompt renewed public interest in local paleontology and heritage tourism. They can also raise questions about access for scientific study when specimens enter private hands.
For landowners in western South Dakota, the sale is a reminder that significant finds can emerge from private property and that partnerships with commercial preparators and auction houses can produce large financial returns. For museums and researchers, it highlights a continuing tension between private collecting and public science.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Gus |
| Length | 38 feet |
| Height | More than 12 feet |
| Sale price | $50.13 million |
| Finder | Theropoda Expeditions (excavation and preparation) |
The sale adds a notable chapter to South Dakota’s long paleontological story and will likely prompt conversations here about how important fossils from the Hell Creek Formation should be handled — financially, scientifically and publicly — in the future.
