American Museum of Natural History officials announced on December 4 that the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever discovered will be on display at the museum in New York at the beginning of December.
Known as “Apex,” the giant Stegosaurus fossil will be displayed at the museum’s entrance in the giant atrium. Apex is 11 feet (3.3 meters) tall and 27 feet (8.2 meters) from its nose to tail. It will be moved to the museum’s fossil hall next year.
“Stegosaurus is one of the top dinosaurs known by the general public, but scientifically, we have much more to learn,” the museum said.
A Scientifically Significant Loan
Apex was purchased by billionaire hedge fund manager, philanthropist, and longtime museum donor Ken Griffin. Griffin purchased the Stegosaurus in July at an auction at Sotheby’s for $45 million, the highest price tag ever for dinosaur remains. The president of the American Museum of Natural History, Sean Decatur, confirmed that Griffin has approved a long-term loan of Apex to the museum for four years. Griffin will also allow scientists to take samples from the Stegosaurus fossil for analysis.
In a statement, Griffin said that Apex “offers a unique window into our planet’s distant past.”
On Wednesday, Decatur said, “This partnership allows Apex to have pride of place at a museum world-renowned for its dinosaur collection and for its longstanding leadership in paleontology and, even more exciting, enables us to pursue specialized Stegosaurus research centered around this extraordinary and scientifically important specimen.”
The statement also said that out of the more than 80 Stegosaur specimens available to scientific institutions, not many are complete. Decatur stated that Apex is the most complete specimen ever found, with 80% of its 320 bones preserved. For a creature that has been dead for 150 million years, its condition is a miracle.
“The joy and awe every child feels coloring a Stegosaurus with their crayons will now be brought to life for the millions of people who have the opportunity to see this epic dinosaur in person,” said Griffin.
A Rare Specimen
Apex is also valued as a rare specimen because it is estimated that it died at a relatively old age. Examination of the Stegosaurus could reveal insights into its bone growth and metabolism. The statement said that scientists will make CT scans of the internal structures of the Stegosaurus’s skull and analyze a small sample extracted from one of its giant thigh bones.
Roger Benson, who curates the American Museum of Natural History’s fossil amphibians, reptiles, birds, and plants, said:
“As exciting as it is to have this dinosaur on display, it is even more exciting to have the opportunity to study it and make important scientific data available for research.”
The museum statement lauded the successful record of the museum’s paleontologists in breaking new ground in dinosaur research. They identified the first dinosaur eggs and early evidence of dinosaur feathers.
Apex was discovered on the land of commercial paleontologist Jason Cooper near Dinosaur, Colorado, on the Utah border near Dinosaur National Monument. Cooper named the Stegosaurus “Apex” since it was a dominant creature in the late Jurassic period.
The previous most expensive auction bid for dinosaur bones was in 2020 when the remains of a Tyrannosaurus Rex nicknamed Stan sold for $41.8 million. Griffin’s $44.6 million bid for Apex beat that record. The Stan fossils were bought by a private individual and the Tyrannosaurus Rex will be made available to the public through a loan. Stan will be on display in a museum that opens in 2025 in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
“We hope our millions of visitors are as awe-struck as we are by Apex,” said Decatur.
