Current:Home > FinanceHere's who bought the record-setting "Apex" Stegosaurus for $45 million -WealthMap Solutions
Here's who bought the record-setting "Apex" Stegosaurus for $45 million
View
Date:2025-04-16 17:50:46
Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, has been revealed as the buyer of the record-setting "Apex" Stegosaurus skeleton at a Sotheby's auction yesterday.
Griffin purchased the fossil, billed by Sotheby's as "the finest to ever come to market," for almost $45 million, a record, a person familiar with the matter told CBS MoneyWatch. The sale price far exceeds the estimate of $4 million to $6 million that Sotheby's had assigned to the lot.
Described as a mounted Stegosaurus skeleton, the exact sale price was $44.6 million, marking a new record for dinosaur fossils.
Griffin plans to explore loaning the specimen to a U.S. institution, and wants to share it with the public, as opposed to hanging it as a trophy exclusively for private viewing.
"Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America!" Griffin said following the sale, according to a person familiar with the matter.
In 2017, Griffin underwrote an historic dinosaur exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois, with a $16.5 million gift to support its acquiring Sue the T. rex, a 122-foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex.
"The Field Museum's never-ending goal is to offer the best possible dinosaur experiences. Ken Griffin's long-time support is a major step forward in achieving that goal," Field Museum president Richard Lariviere said at the time. "With this extraordinary gift from Ken, we'll be able to create a more scientifically accurate and engaging home for Sue the T. rex and welcome the world's largest dinosaur to the Field."
Griffin intends to keep "Apex" stateside after the government of Abu Dhabi purchased "Stan," a male Tyrannosaurus rex, for nearly $32 million, and moved it to a new natural history museum there.
After the sale Wednesday, Sotheby's, which had kept the buyer's identity under wraps, said Apex was "chased by seven bidders" during the live auction.
"'Apex' lived up to its name today, inspiring bidders globally to become the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction," Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's Global Head of Science & Popular Culture, said in a statement Wednesday. "I am thrilled that such an important specimen has now taken its place in history, some 150 million years since it roamed the planet. This remarkable result underscores our unwavering commitment to preserving these ancient treasures."
- In:
- Sotheby's
- dinosaur
Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.
veryGood! (3679)
Related
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Draymond Green curiously ejected after squabble with Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell
- Britney Spears reveals her 'girl crush' on 'unbelievable' Taylor Swift with throwback pics
- Jim Harbaugh restraining order hearing scheduled for Friday; coach suspended vs. Penn State
- Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
- Michael J. Fox talks funding breakthrough research for Parkinson's disease
- US military says 5 crew members died when an aircraft crashed over the Mediterranean
- A contest erupts in Uganda over the tainted legacy of late dictator Idi Amin
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Draw Cheers During Dinner Date in Buenos Aires
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Israel prepares for Euro 2024 qualifying game at Kosovo amid tight security measures
- ‘The Marvels’ melts down at the box office, marking a new low for the MCU
- 5 people drown after a boat carrying migrants capsizes off the Turkish coast
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- Megan Rapinoe hobbles off the pitch after injury early in the final match of her career
- NFL playoff picture: Which teams are looking good after Week 10?
- Indi Gregory, sick baby at center of legal battle in Britain, dies
Recommendation
California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
Louisville, Oregon State crash top 10 of US LBM Coaches Poll after long droughts
Why Hilarie Burton Is Convinced Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Will Be Engaged By May 2024
The Best Early Black Friday Activewear Deals of 2023 at Alo, Athleta & More
John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
Bradley suspends women's basketball coach for rest of nonconference season
Mac Jones benched after critical late interception in Patriots' loss to Colts
A shooting at a Texas flea market killed a child and wounded 4 other people, police say