At an auction in Switzerland on Tuesday, a T. rex skeleton made up of nearly 300 bones from three sites in the United States was sold for 4.8 million francs ($5.3 million), falling short of the expected price.

The composite skeleton, which measures 11.6 meters long (38 feet) and 3.9 meters high (12.8 feet), was crafted in an open-mouth pose and was estimated to sell for between 5 million to 8 million francs at the Koller auction house in Zurich.

This marked the first time that such a T. rex skeleton was offered for sale at an auction in Europe. The skull was displayed alongside the auctioneer’s podium during the sale, which included approximately 70 lots.

Karl Green, the marketing director of the auction house, suggested that the composite nature of the skeleton could be why some dinosaur purists did not bid on it, the Associated Press reported.

Nonetheless, Green believed that the dinosaur’s sale price was fair and expressed his hope that the skeleton would be showcased in a public setting.

According to Koller, Tuesday’s auction marked the first time a T. rex skeleton of this kind had been put up for sale in Europe.

The composite skeleton, made up of 293 bones, was a highlight of the auction, which included approximately 70 lots.

During the sale, the skull was prominently displayed next to the auctioneer’s podium, as reported by the AP.

Written by staff