DAMPIERRE-EN-YVELINES, France — A remarkable 150-million-year-old apatosaurus skeleton was sold at auction for a record-breaking US$6.4 million on Saturday. The sale, hosted by auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa, attracted the attention of collectors and paleontology enthusiasts alike.
The 22-meter-long skeleton, known as Vulcan, was purchased by an anonymous collector, marking it as the largest dinosaur fossil ever auctioned in France. The discovery of Vulcan, a herbivorous dinosaur, occurred in Wyoming in 2018, in a region where excavation of prehistoric bones is permitted under local laws. Extensive excavations, carried out between 2019 and 2021, were financed by a French investor, leading to the remarkable preservation of the fossil.
The skeleton is composed of approximately 75 to 80 percent of the dinosaur’s original bones and was painstakingly restored before being shipped to France. Weighing an estimated 20 tons in life, the apatosaurus was an imposing figure during its time on Earth.
Olivier Collin du Bocage, from the auction house, expressed his satisfaction with the sale, particularly with the buyer’s pledge to loan the fossil to a museum for public display. “We are thrilled that the buyer intends to make this significant specimen accessible for research and exhibition,” he commented.
The presale value of the fossil was estimated to be between three and five million euros, but the final price exceeded expectations, reflecting the growing interest in rare and well-preserved paleontological finds. As part of the sale agreement, the buyer is also committed to allowing paleontologists to study the fossil, ensuring ongoing research into this ancient giant.
Vulcan’s skeleton spent the summer in the orangerie of a historic chateau in Dampierre-en-Yvelines, located just outside Paris, before being auctioned to the highest bidder. This sale marks a significant moment in the world of paleontology, with the fossil now poised to contribute valuable insights into the life of one of Earth’s largest ancient creatures.
