Dinosaur fossil discoveries are always exciting, but a recent discovery broke multiple records in size, complexity, and cost. Two years ago, a dinosaur skeleton was discovered in Colorado, but it wasn't until early 2024 that the fossil was put on the market, selling for the highest-ever cost of a fossil to date.
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Not only that, but the fossil is also the largest of its species, and one of the most complete ever found. Now, the Stegosaurus skeleton is on display at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York.
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A Fossilized Stegosaurus Named Apex Was Discovered In Colorado
In 2022, a Stegosaurus fossil was unearthed in Colorado, in a likely place. The Morrison Formation is located in Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado (and Utah) and is a popular site for paleontology. Various fossils have already been found there, including Camarasaurus, Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, and more.
Jason Cooper, a commercial paleontologist, found Apex on privately-owned land.
"Cooper stumbled upon a bit of femur sticking out of the ground and soon uncovered one of the most complete stegosaurus skeletons ever found." -- Rehs Galleries, Inc.
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While Stegosaurus was one of the smallest plant-eating dinosaurs of its era, the recently discovered fossil is one of the largest ever unearthed.
Apex The Stegosaurus Sold For $44.6 Million And Is Now On Display In New York
The Apex Stegosaurus on view in the American Museum of Natural History's Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation
In a record-breaking sale, pointed out Science.org, Apex the Stegosaurus' fossilized skeleton sold for $44.6 million. The fossil was purchased by billionaire Kenneth Griffin, who is the founder and CEO of a hedge fund.
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After purchasing the fossil, Griffin lent it to AMNH, allowing the dinosaur to be put on display for the next four years. The dinosaur is on display in an atrium named for the billionaire.
"The final, mind-blowing bid was made by hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, who plans to loan Apex to a U.S. institution, ensuring it doesn't end up as a quirky garden statue on someone else's estate." -- Rhes Galleries, Inc.
Apex measures 11.5 feet tall and is 27 feet long, and the majority of its bones have been preserved. AMNH notes that over 254 out of around 320 "bone elements" are present, confirming claims that the skeleton is nearly 80% complete.
AMNH notes that missing pieces were recreated with 3D-printed and/or sculpted additions.
Did you know? Stegosaurus may be recognizable by its spiny armor, but the name is only a genus . AMNH researchers, who plan to examine and study Apex while the skeleton is at the museum, point out that it's not yet known what species of Stegosaurus the dinosaur was. Possibilities may include Stegosaurus stenops, Steogsaurus ungulatus, and Stegosaurus sulcatus..
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Science.org notes that there are more than 80 Stegosaurus skeletons around the world, but none as complete as Apex.
"[R]esearchers at AMNH will take CT scans of the fossil to produce 3D digital models and bone samples to analyze Apex's internal structures." -- Science.org
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How to see Apex the Stegosaurus at the American Museum of Natural History
Assembly of the Apex Stegosaurus at the American Museum of Natural History
The exhibit featuring Apex opened today, December 8th, 2024. The Apex Stegosaurus Fossil exhibit, located in the Kenneth C. Griffin Exploration Atrium, is included with regular admission to AMNH.
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Tickets to AMNH cost $30 per adult for non-NY residents; state residents receive special pricing and pay-what-you-wish for permanent exhibition access.
References: NPS, Science.org, American Museum of Natural History, Rehs Galleries, Inc.