Mars Rock Fetches Millions, Dino Skeleton Dominates Auction

Spectacular specimens spark bidding wars in New York

The largest known piece of Mars ever recovered on Earth sold for over $5 million at auction, but it was a rare juvenile dinosaur skeleton that truly electrified the room, commanding a staggering $30.5 million.

Martian Specimen’s Stellar Sale

The 25-kilogram Martian meteorite, designated NWA 16788, found its way to a new owner for $5.3 million inclusive of fees. Discovered in Niger’s Sahara Desert in November 2023, the rock’s journey began with a massive asteroid impact on Mars, propelling it across 225 million kilometers to our planet.

Sotheby’s reported the meteorite, approximately 70% larger than the next biggest Martian find, represents nearly 7% of all Martian material on Earth. Its dimensions are roughly 375mm by 279mm by 152mm.

Dinosaur Skeleton Steals the Spotlight

The auction’s true showstopper was a juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis skeleton. This specimen, one of only four known complete skeletons of the species and the sole juvenile example, ignited a fierce bidding war among six collectors.

Bidding for the dinosaur surged past its $4 million to $6 million pre-auction estimate. Starting with a $6 million advance offer, the competition escalated rapidly, with increments jumping from $500,000 to $1 million before closing at an astonishing $26 million.

The final sale price, including all fees, reached $30.5 million, making it the third-highest price ever paid for a dinosaur at auction. A Stegosaurus, dubbed “Apex,” currently holds the record, having sold for $44.6 million last year.

A Glimpse into Prehistory

The nearly complete dinosaur skeleton, standing over 2 meters tall and stretching nearly 3 meters long, is believed to be from the late Jurassic period, approximately 150 million years ago. Discovered in Wyoming’s Bone Cabin Quarry, known for its rich fossil deposits, the skeleton was meticulously assembled by specialists, with some sculpted materials used to complete the near 140 fossil bones.

The buyer of the dinosaur intends to loan the specimen to an institution for public display. In comparison, an average Tyrannosaurus rex could reach up to 12 meters in length, significantly larger than the Ceratosaurus, which grew to about 7.6 meters.

Rare Celestial Finds

The Martian meteorite sale, while substantial, saw a more reserved bidding process compared to the dinosaur. The final bid of $4.3 million, culminating in a $5.3 million total, was a record for a meteorite at auction.

Martian meteorites are exceedingly rare, with only 400 known out of over 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth. This latest acquisition is particularly significant.

“This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot. So it’s more than double the size of what we previously thought was the largest piece of Mars.”

—Cassandra Hatton, Vice Chairman for Science and Natural History at Sotheby’s

Testing confirmed the meteorite, composed of olivine-microgabbroic shergottite, originated from Mars, likely ejected by an impact in recent years. Its distinct chemical signature aligns with samples obtained by the Viking space probes in 1976.