A rare Nanotyrannus skeleton has sold for $47.3 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York City, becoming the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold. The skeleton, nicknamed “Jodi,” sold for more than five times its highest estimated price of $9 million. A mystery buyer secured the dinosaur skeleton after a 12-minute bidding contest involving six participants.
The sale came close to the $50.1 million record set earlier this summer by a T. rex skeleton known as “Gus,” which became the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction.
Rare dinosaur skeleton discovered on Montana ranch
The dinosaur is named after Jodi Pierson, a Montana rancher who discovered the fossil on her property in 2019. Professional fossil hunters later excavated the remains. Their work appeared in the Discovery Channel documentary series “Dino Hunters” in 2020. Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s head of science and natural history, praised the team’s efforts. She said their work demonstrated how fossil discoveries could contribute to scientific knowledge.
Jodi is one of only three known Nanotyrannus skeletons. It stands 9 feet, 6 inches (2.9 meters) tall and measures nearly 20 feet (6 meters) long. The skeleton is almost 70% complete and was displayed at Sotheby’s Upper Manhattan headquarters earlier in October.
Research confirms Nanotyrannus was distinct from T. rex
Scientists debated the identity of Nanotyrannus for decades. Some believed it represented a young T. rex rather than a separate dinosaur. However, research reported in October 2025 supported its classification as a distinct dinosaur genus. The dinosaur lived alongside T. rex during the Late Cretaceous period, about 67 million years ago.
RARE dinosaur skeleton sells for $47.3 mln at auction, surging from initial $6 mln estimate, Sotheby reports
The skeleton belongs to a 'Nanotyrannus' a 'smaller' and 'cuter' T-Rex pic.twitter.com/fVSWrfJaGc
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) October 28, 2026
It was approximately half the length of an adult T. rex and had several distinguishing features. Its forelimbs were proportionally longer, with larger hand claws. It also had narrower, blade-like teeth compared with those of its larger relative. The findings have helped scientists better understand the diversity of meat-eating dinosaurs that lived before the mass extinction about 66 million years ago.
Private fossil sales raise concerns among scientists
Despite the high prices, some scientists have criticized the sale of important dinosaur fossils to private collectors. Similar concerns emerged following the record-breaking sale of the T. rex skeleton Gus. Researchers warned that private ownership could limit scientific access to valuable specimens. They argue that rare fossils should remain in museums or research institutions, where scientists can examine them and the public can view them.
Sotheby’s has not disclosed the identity of Jodi’s new owner. It remains unclear whether the skeleton will eventually enter a museum collection or become available for further scientific study.
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