Nanotyrannus Skeleton Sells for $47.3 Million

A Nanotyrannus skeleton nicknamed Jodi sold for $47.3 million including fees to an anonymous buyer at Sotheby's in New York on Oct. 27, 2026, after a roughly 12-minute live auction that far exceeded a $6 million to $9 million estimate. The price makes it the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil at auction, behind T. rex Gus at $50.1 million in July 2026. Montana rancher Jodi Pierson discovered the about 20-foot-long, 6.5-foot-tall specimen on her land in 2019; it is considered almost 70 percent complete, with about 191 bone elements, roughly 50 teeth, and a nearly complete skull, and is one of only three relatively complete Nanotyrannus skeletons known. Sotheby's thanked the professional fossil-hunting team whose work was featured in Discovery Channel's 2020 series Dino Hunters. Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's head of science and natural history, said their commitment to understanding and preserving the specimen helped bring the moment and showed that anyone can make major contributions to science; she compared Nanotyrannus and T. rex coexistence to modern lions and cheetahs. Research published in 2025 using tongue-bone analysis concluded Nanotyrannus is a distinct genus. Steve Brusatte told CNN private sales can limit public access and research. Sources differ on whether five or six other bidders competed. The buyer's identity and any plans for public display or study are not stated.