The Discovery
A remarkably rare fossil named "Jodi" is heading to auction at Sotheby's in New York. Discovered in 2019 by rancher Jodi Pierson on her private land in Garfield County, Montana, within the Hell Creek Formation, the skeleton is one of only three known Nanotyrannus fossils in existence. It stands as the most complete specimen of its kind ever found. Pierson enlisted her cousin, commercial paleontologist Clayton Phipps, to excavate the dinosaur, an undertaking featured on the Discovery Channel series Dino Hunters.
What Scientists Found
Standing 6.5 feet tall and stretching 19.6 feet long, "Jodi" offers an extraordinary look at a swift carnivore that roamed during the end of the Cretaceous period, roughly 67 million years ago. The physical skeleton features several remarkably preserved elements:
- A nearly complete skull containing 53 bones and 35 teeth
- All four of its claws intact
- A fully complete pelvis, femur, and wishbone
For 84 years, scientists argued over whether Nanotyrannus was an independent genus or merely a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. Research published by paleontologists Lindsay Zanno and James Napoli finally resolved the debate, confirming Nanotyrannus as its own distinct genus. The T. rex possesses more than 150 structural differences, including a much larger body length of 40 feet compared to 18 feet, and 12 or 13 tooth sockets compared to 17 in Nanotyrannus.
Why It Matters
The confirmation of Nanotyrannus proves that T. rex was not the only large predator hunting during its epoch. Sotheby's vice chairman Cassandra Hatton highlighted that the combined efforts of Phipps's excavation and the recent scientific study successfully settled the long-standing controversy. The fossil is expected to fetch between $6 million and $9 million at a live sale on October 27. Details regarding whether the buyer will place the specimen in a public museum are not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published October 07, 2026 · Photo by Zhongyi Chen on Unsplash