Auctions Dinosaur skeleton sold at auction for six million euros

The skeleton of a 22-metre-long Apatosaurus has been auctioned off in France for six million euros. A collector purchased the dinosaur skeleton excavated in the USA on Saturday, according to the auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa.

The buyer, who wished to remain anonymous, announced that he would have the Apatosaurus exhibited in a museum. The skeleton of the herbivore is around 150 million years old and consists of 75 to 80 percent original bones. According to the auction house Barbarossa, it is "the largest dinosaur ever to be auctioned worldwide".

The remains of the Apatosaurus were discovered in the US state of Wyoming in 2018. There, individuals are allowed to purchase concessions to excavate prehistoric bones. The excavations took place between 2019 and 2021 and were financed by a French investor. The fossil, which comprises 300 bones, was then taken to France and restored for two years.

SDA