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ScienceQuiet 10d · day 15

Nanotyrannus 'Jodi' sells for $47.3M at Sotheby's auction

The rare dinosaur skeleton, one of only three known specimens, sold well above its $6–9M estimate, fueling debate over fossils in private hands.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 11d ago84 pieces107 likes & upvotes2 comments Google NewsMastodonNewswiresBlueskyYouTubeHacker News

What to know

  • The Nanotyrannus skeleton "Jodi" sold for $47.3 million—far above its $6–9 million estimate—making it the first specimen of its genus to reach auction since the genus was scientifically confirmed in October 2025.
  • The sale reflects a trend of record-breaking prices for rare dinosaur fossils, following the $50.1 million sale of T. rex "Gus" in July 2026.
  • Paleontologists warn that ultra-wealthy private collectors may drive important specimens out of public view and limit scientific access, threatening research and education.
  • Nanotyrannus is a distinct species from T. rex—smaller, more gracile, and equipped with blade-like teeth—that lived alongside T. rex approximately 67 million years ago.

“was for a very long time believed to be sort of a teenager of T. rex. But it's a lot smaller and its a lot more gracile. So it's very sort-of sleek, slender, [with] blade-like teeth for slicing through meat.”

Megan Jenkins, Paleontologist, University of Portsmouth · BBC Radio 4's Today programme ↗ · Oct 26

Steve Brusatte Paleontologist, University of EdinburghMegan Jenkins Paleontologist, University of PortsmouthSotheby's Auction houseLindsay Zanno and James Napoli Researchers

Nanotyrannus 'Jodi' sells for $47.3M at Sotheby's auction
bbc.co.uk

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 26 pieces in 4h at Oct 27, 12 PM; 84 pieces over 15 days (75 articles · 1 video · 8 posts) Oct 24, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Oct 24, 8 AM — quietOct 24, 12 PM — quietOct 24, 4 PM — quietOct 24, 8 PM — quietOct 25, 12 AM — quietOct 25, 4 AM — quietOct 25, 8 AM — quietOct 25, 12 PM — quietOct 25, 4 PM — quietOct 25, 8 PM — quietOct 26, 12 AM — quietOct 26, 4 AM — quietOct 26, 8 AM — quietOct 26, 12 PM — quietOct 26, 4 PM — quietOct 26, 8 PM — quietOct 27, 12 AM — quietOct 27, 4 AM — quietOct 27, 8 AM — 25 pieces · 22 articles · 3 posts — Google News 16, Newswires 6, Mastodon 3Oct 27, 12 PM — 26 pieces · 24 articles · 1 video · 1 post — Google News 14, Newswires 10, Bluesky 1, +1 moreOct 27, 4 PM — 14 pieces · 11 articles · 3 posts — Google News 8, Newswires 3, Mastodon 2, +1 moreOct 27, 8 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Oct 28, 12 AM — 5 pieces · 5 articles — Google News 4, Newswires 1Oct 28, 4 AM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Google News 1, Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Oct 28, 8 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Oct 28, 12 PM — quietOct 28, 4 PM — quietOct 28, 8 PM — quietOct 29, 12 AM — quietOct 29, 4 AM — 4 pieces · 4 articles — Google News 4Oct 29, 8 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Newswires 1, Google News 1Oct 29, 12 PM — quietOct 29, 4 PM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 2Oct 29, 8 PM — quietOct 30, 12 AM — quietOct 30, 4 AM — quietOct 30, 8 AM — quietOct 30, 12 PM — quietOct 30, 4 PM — quietOct 30, 8 PM — quietOct 31, 12 AM — quietOct 31, 4 AM — quietOct 31, 8 AM — quietOct 31, 12 PM — quietOct 31, 4 PM — quietOct 31, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 12 AM — quietNov 1, 3 AM — quietNov 1, 7 AM — quietNov 1, 11 AM — quietNov 1, 3 PM — quietNov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 3 AM — quietNov 2, 7 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quiet 1–2
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  1. 2

    Nanotyrannus "Jodi" sells for $47.3 million

    The skeleton sold well above its $6–9 million pre-sale estimate at Sotheby's, making it one of the highest-priced dinosaur fossils ever sold at auction.

    1. 16 outlets This fossil may look like a mini T. rex, but a Nanotyrannus just sold for a giant $47 million

      first by Philadelphia Inquirer, 11d ago · also SCMP, KSNT 27 News, KTLA, ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos, Chicago Tribune, AP News +9

      2 more headlines

    2. 7 outlets first by The Globe and Mail, 11d ago · also Globe and Mail, CP24, CNN, Smithsonian, Smithsonian Magazine, FOX Weather · read ↗

    2 more claims →
    • walkerbragman.bsky.social

      This shouldn’t be legal. These fossils belong to all of us. These auctions are theft, denying us discovery opportunities.

      walkerbragman.bsky.socialBluesky11d ago97▲view on Bluesky ↗
  2. 1

    Nanotyrannus "Jodi" goes to auction at Sotheby's New York

    The 10-foot-tall Nanotyrannus skeleton, nicknamed "Jodi" and described by Sotheby's as "one of only three such skeletons known to science," was auctioned with an estimate of $6–9 million. The specimen features 191 fossil-bone elements and a virtually complete skull.

    “We've really just found out that Nanotyrannus is real, and now one of…”
    — Steve Brusatte

    1. 11 outlets first by The News International, 11d ago · also Anadolu Agency, Globe and Mail, Yahoo, Yahoo News Canada, KVUE, Guardian +4 · read ↗

    2. 3 outlets first by BBC, 12d ago · also Black Hills Pioneer, BBC Science · read ↗

    1 more claim →
    • BBC@c.im

      # BBC # News # Science # Environment Nanotyrannus skeleton goes to auction in New York with £4.5m price tag

      BBC@c.imMastodon12d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  3. background

    Paleontologists express concern over fossil disappearing into private hands — Steve Brusatte and other researchers warned that the high price and potential private ownership could remove the specimen from public view and hinder scientific research, drawing parallels to artwork locked away from public access.

  4. background

    Sotheby's sells T. rex "Gus" for record $50.1 million — A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton sold at Sotheby's for $50.1 million (£37.4 million), setting a record for a dinosaur fossil and prompting warnings from paleontologists about fossils entering private collections.

  5. background

    Researchers confirm Nanotyrannus as distinct genus separate from T. rex — US researchers Lindsay Zanno and James Napoli published findings that ended decades of debate, classifying Nanotyrannus as a separate genus from Tyrannosaurus rex. The research was supported by the "Dueling Dinosaurs" fossil discovery.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 4 outlets Rare Nanotyrannus Jodi Joins Dinosaurs "Lost To Science" Following $47.3 Million Auction Sale To Private Collector

    first by IFLScience, 11d ago · also Euronews, Livemint, KTVQ

    4 more headlines
  2. 2 outlets A farmer in Montana found a rare dinosaur in 2019. Seven years later, its skeleton sold for $47.3 million

    first by Futura, le média qui explore le monde, 11d ago · also Times of India

    2 more headlines
  3. 1 outlet Rare Nanotyrannus Skeleton, Once Mistaken for Baby T. Rex, Goes on Sale in New York

    first by Around Prague, 11d ago

    1 more headline

and 5 smaller pieces

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