The remains of a tyrannosaurus rex, famously nicknamed “Stan” after being excavated by the commercial fossil outfit Black Hills Institute in 1992, has been sold for US$ 31.8 million. Stan went for more than twice the adjusted value of Sue, the most complete T. rex yet found, which sold for over $8.3 million in 1997. Stan’s buyer has not been announced.
While Sue ended up in a museum, no one knows where Stan is going – the lessons he can teach scientists might disappear forever into a private owner’s collection. Paleontologists are concerned that Stan is just the most prominent example of a recent trend for fossils going to auction houses instead of scientists. In addition, the simple idea that one can sell such fossils is concerning. Fossils may be morphing from priceless scientific artifacts to tradeable commodities.
