Nanotyrannus skeleton to be auctioned for up to $9 million
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Montana rancher Jodi Pierson discovered a Nanotyrannus skeleton on her family’s land in 2019, and Sotheby’s is now displaying it in New York before an October 27 auction.
The nearly 70 percent complete skeleton, nicknamed “Jodi,” is one of only three known examples of this smaller relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex. Sotheby’s estimates the fossil will sell for between $6 million and $9 million due to its rarity and completeness.
The Nanotyrannus lived roughly 67 million years ago in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation, an area known for well-preserved fossils. Pierson found the skeleton weathering out of a hillside on land her family has owned for decades, near the site of another famous dinosaur discovery known as “Dueling Dinosaurs.” Scientists have long debated whether Nanotyrannus is a distinct species or a juvenile T. rex, and this nearly complete specimen could provide valuable new evidence.
The skeleton consists of 191 bones, including a virtually complete skull with roughly 35 teeth, offering insights into the dinosaur’s anatomy and hunting habits. Sotheby’s previously exhibited the fossil in London in 2023 with a higher price tag before reclassifying it and lowering the estimate for the New York sale. The auction house anticipates strong interest from collectors and paleontologists alike, raising questions about whether such significant fossils should be held in private collections or made available for public research.
