Meet Nanotyrannus Jodi: Auction - The rare dinosaur once mistaken for a young T. rex that fetched $47.3 million

A rare Nanotyrannus skeleton named Jodi sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby's in New York, becoming the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil ever auctioned. Once mistaken for a juvenile T. rex, the specimen has reignited debate over private fossil ownership and scientific access.

A rare dinosaur skeleton named Jodi has sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby's auction in New York, making it the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold. The specimen belongs to Nanotyrannus, a small tyrannosaur once thought to be a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex).

According to a CNN report, the skeleton attracted six bidders during a 12-minute contest, pushing its final price well beyond the expected range. Sotheby's had estimated that it could sell for between $6 million and $9 million.

The sale came after researchers identified Nanotyrannus as a distinct dinosaur genus, rather than a younger form of T. rex. The classification had been debated among palaeontologists for decades.

What is Nanotyrannus Jodi?

Jodi is a rare, relatively complete Nanotyrannus skeleton, measuring 19.6 feet long and 9.6 feet tall. Sotheby's described it as an exceptionally preserved specimen containing 191 fossil-bone elements, including a virtually complete skull.

The auction house said only three relatively complete Nanotyrannus skeletons are known to science. Jodi is the first such specimen to reach the market since researchers confirmed the genus as distinct from T. rex, according to a BBC report.

Although it is smaller than a T. rex, Nanotyrannus was not necessarily a younger version of the larger dinosaur. Palaeontologists have increasingly supported the view that it was a separate species, with differences in its size and build.

The two dinosaurs lived during the same geological period, around 67 million years ago.

How was Jodi discovered?

The skeleton was discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson on her property in the Hell Creek Formation in the United States. The specimen was named after her and subsequently excavated by commercial palaeontologist Clayton Phipps, known as the "Dinosaur Cowboy", according to CNN.

Hell Creek, which stretches across Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas, is a significant fossil-rich geological area. It has yielded several important dinosaur discoveries, including T. rex remains.

Jodi was initially displayed as a juvenile T. rex at London's Frieze Masters art fair in October 2023, before the classification of Nanotyrannus changed how the specimen was understood, the BBC reported.

Why did the dinosaur sell for $47.3 million?

Jodi's rarity and relatively complete condition may have contributed to the high sale price. Its final value substantially exceeded Sotheby's estimate of $6 million to $9 million.

The sale narrowly missed the record for a dinosaur fossil, set in July when a T. rex skeleton named Gus sold for $50.1 million. A Stegosaurus named Apex, which sold for $44.6 million in July 2024, ranks third among the most expensive dinosaur fossils sold at auction.

Jodi's new owner has not been identified. CNN reported that the specimen was sold with "full rights", allowing its owner to make and sell replicas without incorporating copyrighted elements from other dinosaurs. Missing bones have been replaced with custom 3D-printed and sculpted elements.

The auction has also renewed debate over whether scientifically important fossils should be sold to private collectors or preserved in public institutions where researchers can study them.