Largest complete dinosaur skeleton to fetch millions at auction

By Dean Murray via SWNS

The largest and most complete dinosaur skeleton in the world ever to come to auction is expected to fetch £8.4m-£16.8m ($11-$22m).

Auctioneers announced Tuesday (15 Oct) that the Apatosaurus - dubbed Vulcain - has more than tripled its original estimate since the opening of auction registration.

The skeleton was discovered in Wyoming in 2018 and measures 20.50 meters/67.25 feet long, with approximately 80% of its bone mass native bones.

With more than 306 fossilized bones, it makes it the most complete dinosaur skeleton to be discovered and offered in auction history.

Pascal Godefroit, paleontologist at Belgium's Royal Institute of Natural Sciences, witnessed the discovery of Vulcain in Wyoming, as his team was working on the same site, excavating a Diplodocus.

He said: "Already in the field, we could see that it was impressive, a sort of giant Mikado. We were very impressed, because not only is the Apatosaurus much rarer than the diplodocus, but we could also see that it was an exceptional specimen."

French auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa, will handle the 16 November sale in Paris.

“Vulcain is the largest and most complete dinosaur that stands above them all . It is the ancient find of a lifetime,” said Olivier Collin du Bocage, Founder and Auctioneer of Collin du Bocage.

“The discovery, acquisition, and sale of this magnificent beast is a historic occasion for our auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbossa,” said Florent Barbossa, Founder and Auctioneer of Barbarossa.

The market for dinosaurs skeletons has surged, from the sale of T-Rex "Sue" in 1997 for £6.3m ($8.4m) until the record sale of "Apex" Stegosaurus, which sold for £34.5m ($44.6m) in July 2024.

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