The scientific community is expressing concern that the trend of wealthy individuals purchasing dinosaur fossils as symbols of wealth and status could cause significant losses to paleontological research.
According to the British newspaper The Guardian on July 14 (local time), a fossil of a large carnivorous Tyrannosaurus rex, nicknamed "Gus," is scheduled to be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York on that day.
Standing 3.8 meters tall, the fossil is estimated to be approximately 67 million years old and is considered one of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus skeletons ever discovered.
The sale price is estimated to be between 20 million and 30 million dollars (29.8 billion to 44.7 billion won).
The fossil was discovered in 2021 on a ranch in Harding County, South Dakota, in the United States.
A private company, Theropoda Expeditions, excavated the fossil over three years with the permission of the landowner.
The name "Gus" was taken from the name of the landowner.
The record for the highest auction price for a dinosaur fossil is currently held by a herbivorous Stegosaurus fossil sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2024.
That fossil, named "Apex," was sold for 44.6 million dollars (66.4 billion won).
The first time a Tyrannosaurus fossil appeared at auction was in 1997.
At that time, the Field Museum in Chicago purchased a 4-meter-tall fossil for 8 million dollars (11.9 billion won) with the help of private donors and corporations such as McDonald's.
Since then, collecting dinosaur fossils has become a hobby for wealthy celebrities, including Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, reported The Guardian.
While scientists acknowledge that the discovery of an intact dinosaur fossil is a remarkable event, they have expressed concern over the increasing number of such fossils being sold through auctions.
In some countries, such as Brazil and Mongolia, all fossils are considered state property.
Professor Richard Butler, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Birmingham in the UK, criticized the trend, stating, "The idea of buying dinosaur fossils as status symbols or commodities is deeply concerning." He added, "They are being sold at prices that museums cannot afford, which is a great loss to science."
Professor Stephen Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh in the UK also remarked, "Auctions are legal, but as a scientist, I am worried."
He pointed out, "If a dinosaur fossil sells for tens of millions of dollars, there is almost nothing that scientists, museums, or universities can do. Such prices are only affordable for the extremely wealthy."
Critics argue that even when buyers lend or donate their collections to museums, it is not sufficient for research purposes.
Associate Professor Thomas Carr, a vertebrate paleontologist at Carthage College in Wisconsin, expressed his concern, saying, "Privately owned fossils can be recalled from a museum to the owner's home at any time. We need to be able to access fossils for research at any time, and that is not guaranteed."
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