From Sun Sentinel · · 1m 20s
Rare T. rex cousin fossil heads to auction
New York auction house displays rare Nanotyrannus skeleton before $6-9m sale.
In brief
New York auction house displays rare Nanotyrannus skeleton before $6-9m sale. Sotheby's displays a 67-million-year-old Nanotyrannus skeleton, estimated at $6-9 million, ahead of its Oct. 27 auction. Originally reported by Sun Sentinel.
Fossil display
Jodi, a mounted Nanotyrannus skeleton, of the Cretaceous Period, approximately 67 million years ago, is displayed at Sotheby’s, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in New York.
Fossil value
The rare fossil is estimated at $6, 9 million and will be auctioned on Oct. 27.
Dinosaur cousin
The Nanotyrannus is a recently confirmed distant cousin of T. rex, not a young T. rex.
Scientific significance
Scientists now know T. rex and Nanotyrannus coexisted, occupying distinct ecological niches.
Size differences
Nanotyrannus stands 6.5 feet tall and stretches nearly 20 feet long, half the size of T. rex.
Teeth and hunting
Nanotyrannus has slender, bladelike teeth for hunting faster prey, unlike T. rex’s thick, banana-shaped teeth.
Fossil completeness
Sotheby’s 'Jodi' is 70% complete with a virtually full skull and 50 teeth.
Discovery story
Jodi was discovered by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson in 2019 and featured in a 2020 Discovery Channel documentary.
Auction debate
Scientists argue for public museum display, while Sotheby’s says private diggers are crucial for fossil preservation.
The key point
Sotheby's displays a 67-million-year-old Nanotyrannus skeleton, estimated at $6-9 million, ahead of its Oct. 27 auction.
