The Most Expensive Dinosaur Skeletons Ever Sold

Jan 13—2026

Today we will be looking at the 3 most expensive fossils ever sold. These specimens have provided paleontologists ample information on the dinosaur’s lifestyles and environment. This is just the tip of the iceberg as I could write about all the interesting skeletons sold but today we’ll be investigating prices and some fun facts.

3. Juvenile Ceratosaurus

We’ll start off with the 3rd most expensive fossil ever sold which was a recent purchase of $30.5 million. Discovered in 1996, this Ceratosaurus Nasicornis specimen is 1 of 4 skeletons that exist worldwide. Although smaller in comparison to the next fossils, it has a “superb virtually complete skull” according to the seller Sotheby’s. Living 150 million years ago it was a strong theropod with distinct bony features on its skull. Throughout this list you will notice that the hefty prices are due to the conservation and completion of the specimen. This Ceratosaurus had an impressively conserved skull structure which explains the expensive price (not to mention its rarity)

2. Stan the T-rex

Discovered in 1982, Stan the T-rex is the 5th most complete T-rex skeleton ever. In 2020, it sold for $31.8 million dollars to an anonymous buyer that now we now know as the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. Stan lived 66 million years ago in the modern day Hell Creek formation with impressive stats such as weighing up to 7-8 tons and being almost 40 feet long. Through extensive scanning of the skeleton, paleontologists got an in depth look of it’s battle injuries and it’s skull that not only is the most complete ever found but also it’s having a bite force of 12,000 pounds.

A fun fact about this guy is that his skull is the most common T-Rex skull model used in research and film.

1. Apex the Stegosaurus

Stored at the American Natural History Museum , Apex the Stegosaurus is the most expensive fossil ever sold. This Stegosaurus specimen sold by Sotheby’s for $44.6 million and is the most complete fossil of its species containing 254 of the 319 bones. With 80% of its skeleton complete, it has provided scientists an in depth view of the Stegosaurus and how it lived. The stegosaurus was an armored, herbivorous dino that lived 150 million years ago. The end of its tail, also known as the thagomizer, was an impressive defensive weapon with impressive 2-3 feet long spikes. Its plates lined up on its back, also known as osteoderms, have recently been speculated to help with the thermoregulating process. The intricate fossils showed that within the groves there were blood vessels that could circulate blood efficiently to cool down.

When I visited New York I had the amazing opportunity of seeing it in person so here are my picture of Apex!