The world's largest fossil skeleton of a diplodocus was auctioned for 6.65 million euros in Paris, France

Paris, October 21 (China News Service) -- On October 21, local time, the world's largest fossil skeleton of Triceratops was auctioned at the Drouås auction house in Paris, France, for 6.65 million euros.

The Druid'ao auction house in Paris held a special auction of the world's natural history collection on the same day, and this fossil skeleton of the Triceratops is the most important auction item, with an estimated value of 1.2 million to 1.5 million euros. The final auction price was 6,651,100 euros, well above the estimate, and the buyer was an anonymous collector from the United States.

The auctioned Triceratops fossil skeleton, named "Big John," is 66 million years old and is the largest fossil skeleton of a dipterosaur ever discovered by paleontologists. The skeleton is 8 meters long, and its skull is also the largest of its kind, 2.62 meters long and 2 meters wide. The fossil skeleton is basically well preserved, with more than 60% bone integrity and 75% skull integrity. The skull was found to have a crack, possibly caused by a fierce battle with another Triceratops.

The fossil skeleton was discovered in South Dakota, USA, in 2014, and experts speculate that the Triceratops may have died in the floodplain and was quickly buried by silt, leaving the fossil skeleton in a largely intact state. After the fossil skeleton was discovered, it was immediately transferred to Italy for splicing and restoration work in preparation for the auction in Paris.

Reeves, the buyer's representative for the fossil skeleton of the Triceratops, said the history of the lot is absolutely impressive, and the discovery of this fossil skeleton in South Dakota, USA, is also very special, and he is excited that it can become a private collection. However, some experts regret that the fossil skeleton did not enter the museum.

Duranson, director of the Natural History Museum in Toulouse, told AFP that the fossil skeleton of Triceratops would cost the museum decades of procurement budgets, so he could not participate in the bidding. Some commentators believe that the dinosaur fossil auction market is currently in a booming period, and collectors' enthusiasm for dinosaur fossils has increased, resulting in high auction prices for related items. (End)

Source: China News Network