Record-Breaking $44.6 Million Sale of Complete Stegosaurus Fossil 'Apex' to Ken Griffin

Dinosaur, Moffat County, Colorado United States of America
Apex is the largest Stegosaurus ever discovered and lived to an old age, showing signs of rheumatoid arthritis.
A Stegosaurus fossil named 'Apex' sold for $44.6 million at Sotheby's auction on July 10, 2024.
Previously, the record for most money paid for a fossil at auction was $31.8 million for a Tyrannosaurus rex named 'Stan' in 2020.
Professional paleontologist Jason Cooper discovered Apex on his private land in Moffat County, Colorado.
Sotheby's described Apex as the most complete and best-preserved Stegosaurus specimen of its size.
The fossil was found in the Morrison Formation, an expanse of sedimentary rock centered in Colorado and Wyoming.
The nearly complete skeleton measures 11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet long with over 250 bone elements.
The Stegosaurus is a four-legged, armored dinosaur known for its distinct line of kite-shaped plates on its back.
Record-Breaking $44.6 Million Sale of Complete Stegosaurus Fossil 'Apex' to Ken Griffin

A record-breaking sale of a Stegosaurus fossil, named 'Apex', took place at Sotheby's auction on July 10, 2024. The nearly complete skeleton sold for $44.6 million to billionaire investor Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel. Apex is the largest Stegosaurus ever discovered, measuring 11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet long from nose to tail, with over 250 bone elements.

The fossil was found by professional paleontologist Jason Cooper on his private land in Moffat County, Colorado. The bones were excavated carefully and set on a steel frame for display. Apex lived to an old age, as evidenced by signs of rheumatoid arthritis.

Sotheby's described Apex as the most complete and best-preserved Stegosaurus specimen of its size ever found. The dinosaur remains were estimated to fetch up to $6 million, but the sale far exceeded expectations due to intense bidding competition.

The fossil was discovered in the Morrison Formation, an expanse of sedimentary rock centered in Colorado and Wyoming that also extends into parts of 11 other states. The Stegosaurus is a four-legged, armored dinosaur best known for the distinct line of kite-shaped plates on its back.

The spiky-tailed dinosaurs lived during the late Jurassic period, roughly 155 million years ago to 145 million years ago. The Stegosaurus is one of the most universally recognizable dinosaur species, whose unmistakable silhouette has been a source of fascination and wonder for generations.

Previously, the record for the most money paid for a fossil at auction was set in 2020 when a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton named 'Stan' sold for $31.8 million. The first dinosaur sold at auction was 'Sue the T. rex', which fetched $8.4 million in 1997.

Phyllis Kao, an auctioneer and vice president for client strategy at Sotheby's, handled the sale of Apex with her usual flair and charisma, drawing in millions of curious online spectators. The bidding war lasted over 15 minutes before Ken Griffin emerged as the successful bidder.

Griffin intends to keep Apex in the United States and explore loaning it to a museum for public display.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if any other bidders were present during the auction.
  • The article does not mention the exact age of Apex.

Sources

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

'Apex' Stegosaurus Skeleton Becomes the Most Expensive Fossil Ever Sold at Auction

IGN (Imagine Games Network) Friday, 19 July 2024 17:54
  • Unique Points
    • A stegosaurus skeleton nicknamed 'Apex' sold for $44.6 million at Sotheby's Natural History Auction, making it the most expensive fossil ever sold.
    • The largest and most complete stegosaurus skeleton was discovered by fossil hunter Jason Cooper on his private ranch in Moffat County, Colorado.
    • Cooper took two full Summers to excavate the site and set the fossils on a steel frame for display.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority when it mentions that the stegosaurus skeleton is the largest and most complete one ever found and that it sold for a record-breaking price at Sotheby's auction. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when he states 'for more science news, read up on how scientists mapped an ancient tunnel extending beneath the surface of the Moon, or find out about the strange medical case of a Canadian woman who became intoxicated on alcohol fermented in her own body.'
    • ]The largest and most complete stegosaurus ever to be found[.
    • ]it sold for a grand total of US$44.6 million to an anonymous buyer, who had paid 11 times the US$6 million pre-auction estimate.[
    • For more science news, read up on how scientists mapped an ancient tunnel extending beneath the surface of the Moon, or find out about the strange medical case of a Canadian woman who became intoxicated on alcohol fermented in her own body.[
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Phyllis Kao, an Auctioneer at Sotheby’s, Sold the Most Valuable Fossil Ever

The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Rachel Sherman Thursday, 18 July 2024 23:30
  • Unique Points
    • Phyllis Kao sold the most valuable fossil ever for $44.6 million at Sotheby's auction.
    • Stegosaurus fossil was the most expensive one ever sold at auction.
    • Phyllis Kao is an auctioneer and vice president for client strategy at Sotheby's.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Citadel's Ken Griffin buys a stegosaurus for $45 million in a record auction sale

CNBC News Yun Li Thursday, 18 July 2024 13:12
  • Unique Points
    • Billionaire investor Ken Griffin purchased a late Jurassic stegosaurus skeleton named 'Apex' for $44.6 million at Sotheby's on July 10, 2024.
    • Stegosaurus 'Apex' measures 11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet long from nose to tail with 254 fossil bone elements.
    • Griffin intends to explore loaning the specimen to a U.S. institution.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    No formal fallacies found. There are some exaggerations and inflammatory rhetoric. The author mentions the stegosaurus was 'only expected to sell for about $6 million', implying that the final price was much higher than anticipated, which is an exaggeration. Additionally, phrases like 'most valuable fossil ever sold at auction' and 'Apex shows no signs of combat-related injuries or evidence of post-mortem scavenging' are inflammatory rhetoric.
    • Stepped up bidding war... six other bidders for 15 minutes.
    • Most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

You Could Have Owned the Largest Stegosaurus Fossil Ever Found If You Had a Spare $44.6 Million

Popular Mechanics Tim Newcomb Friday, 19 July 2024 13:00
  • Unique Points
    • A Stegosaurus fossil named Apex was sold for $44.6 million in a Sotheby’s auction.
    • Apex is the largest Stegosaurus ever discovered, measuring 11 feet tall and 27 feet long from nose to tail.
    • The fossil contains over 250 bone elements and is one of the most complete Stegosaurus skeletons found.
    • Apex lived to an old age, likely due to evidence of rheumatoid arthritis.
    • Ken Griffin, founder of hedge fund Citadel, is the buyer of Apex.
    • The fossil was discovered by professional paleontologist Jason Cooper in Colorado in 2022.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority when stating that Apex is the largest Stegosaurus ever discovered and one of the most complete, as well as when mentioning that experts believe this large adult likely lived to an old age. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing the price paid for the fossil as a 'record' multiple times.
    • At 11 feet tall and 27 feet long from nose to tail, it is the largest Stegosaurus ever discovered.
    • Experts believe potentially 150 million years long
    • The history of Apex is long–potentially 150 million years long–but also relatively current.
    • All that grandeur may soon go on display in the United States.
    • Apex beats them all.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Near-complete Stegosaurus fossil sells for record $44 million at auction

NBC News Digital Saturday, 20 July 2024 10:41
  • Unique Points
    • The Stegosaurus skeleton was found by Jason Cooper on his private land in Colorado without any other specimens nearby and with no signs of injuries.
    • The first dinosaur sold at auction was ‘Sue the T. rex’ in 1997, which fetched $8.4 million.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication