The fossilized skeleton of a T rex relative called Gorgosaurus that roamed the earth 10million years before its descendant sold for $6.1million (£5.01million) at auction.
The giant carnivore, which stalked prey in what is now the western United States and Canada 76 million years ago, went under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York on Thursday.
The specimen being sold was discovered in 2018 in the Judith River Formation near Havre, Montana, Sotheby’s said.
It is nearly 10 feet tall and 22 feet long.
All other known Gorgosaurus skeletons are in museum collections, making it the only specimen available for private ownership, according to the auction house.
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Cassandra Hatton, global head of science and popular culture at Sotheby’s, said before the auction: “In my career I have had the privilege of handling and selling many exceptional and unique objects, but few have the ability to inspire wonder and capture the imagination, like this incredible Gorgosaurus skeleton.”
Sotheby’s pre-sale estimate for the fossil was between $5m and $8m (£4.1m and £6.6m).
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