# Rare T. rex cousin fossil heads to auction

> New York auction house displays rare Nanotyrannus skeleton before $6-9m sale.
- Title: Rare T. rex cousin fossil heads to auction · Sun Sentinel
- Summary: New York auction house displays rare Nanotyrannus skeleton before $6-9m sale. Sotheby's displays a 67-million-year-old Nanotyrannus skeleton, estimated at…
- Keywords: nanotyrannus, sotheby's, cretaceous period, t. rex, fossil, auction, jodi, cassandra hatton, society of vertebrate paleontology, stuart sumida, science, Rare
- Source: Sun Sentinel — https://sun-sentinel.com/2026/10/13/mini-t-rex-auction
- Published: 2026-10-13T21:39:24+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nanotyrannus, sotheby's, cretaceous period, t. rex, fossil, auction, jodi, cassandra hatton, society of vertebrate paleontology, stuart sumida, science
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Sotheby's displays a 67-million-year-old Nanotyrannus skeleton, estimated at $6-9 million, ahead of its Oct. 27 auction.