In an unprecedented event in the world of paleontology and auctions, the skeleton of an apatosaurus—one of the largest herbivores from the Jurassic period—was sold for a staggering US$6.4 million at a French auction on Saturday. The 22-meter-long (70 feet) fossil, named Vulcan, set a new record as the largest dinosaur ever to be auctioned in France.
Vulcan’s bones, mostly intact and dating back around 150 million years, were unearthed in Wyoming, USA, in 2018. The discovery was the result of a unique legal framework in the region, where individuals can secure excavation rights to hunt for fossils. Excavation teams worked from 2019 to 2021 to carefully extract and preserve the skeleton, with funding from a French investor who later brought the specimen to France for restoration.
The auction took place at the lavish Dampierre-en-Yvelines chateau, located just outside Paris, where the enormous bones had been displayed over the summer. The skeleton was expected to sell for between three and five million euros, but the final bid surpassed expectations, reflecting growing global interest in rare and scientifically significant fossils.
The buyer, whose identity remains undisclosed, agreed to loan the specimen to a museum, ensuring that Vulcan will be available for scientific study and public viewing. “It is rewarding to see the fossil go to a collector who values its historical importance,” said auction house representative Olivier Collin du Bocage.
Weighing around 20 tons during its lifetime, the apatosaurus once roamed the Earth as one of the largest land-dwelling herbivores of its time. The fossil, now preserved and meticulously restored, will provide valuable insights into the biology and behavior of prehistoric giants.
As part of the sale, the buyer has pledged to cooperate with paleontologists and allow further research on Vulcan, cementing the specimen’s legacy as a valuable tool for advancing our understanding of prehistoric life.
