South Dakota Rancher's Discovery of T. rex Skeleton Could Yield $30 Million at Auction
Gary 'Gus' Licking, a rancher from South Dakota, discovered dinosaur teeth on his property, leading to the unearthing of a 38-foot Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. This significant find, made in 2021, is now set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s with an estimated value of up to $30 million. The excavation, led by commercial paleontologist Thomas Heitkamp, took three years and involved meticulous work to uncover 183 fossil bone elements, making it one of the most complete T. rex specimens ever found. The fossil, named 'Gus' after the rancher, is expected to provide a substantial financial windfall for Licking's widow, Dana, as South Dakota law grants ownership of fossils found on private land to the landowner. 
