The Discovery
An exceptionally rare fossilized skeleton nicknamed Jodi has been placed on display at Sotheby’s headquarters in New York ahead of its scheduled auction. Discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson on her land, the specimen is estimated to sell for between $6 million and $9 million. The skeleton stands 6.5 feet tall, stretches nearly 20 feet long, and is nearly 70 percent complete, featuring a virtually intact skull with roughly 50 teeth.
The fossil is one of only three known skeletons of its kind. It was unearthed roughly eight miles from the site of the 2006 Dueling Dinosaurs fossil discovery. This upcoming event follows an auction earlier in the summer where Sotheby’s sold a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil for $50.1 million.
What Scientists Found
For decades, researchers debated whether Nanotyrannus was a unique species or simply a juvenile T. rex, a question first raised by a 1942 skull discovery. However, scientific research in October 2025 examined growth rings inside preserved bones, confirming that the fossils belonged to fully mature adults rather than young T. rexes.
Researchers have noted more than 150 structural differences between the two dinosaurs:
- An adult Nanotyrannus measured about 18 feet long, which is roughly half the length of an adult T. rex.
- Nanotyrannus had longer legs, longer forelimbs, and larger hand claws.
- It possessed slender, bladelike teeth designed to slash fast prey, unlike the thick, banana-shaped teeth T. rex used to crush bones.
These distinctions reveal that both predators coexisted during the Cretaceous Period, around 67 million years ago, occupying separate ecological roles.
Why It Matters
The confirmation of Nanotyrannus reshapes the understanding of ancient ecosystems by proving T. rex was not the sole top predator of its time. However, the public auction has sparked debate. Sotheby’s representatives maintain that private fossil hunters are vital to field discovery because museums and universities lack sufficient digging programs. In contrast, representatives from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology argue that key specimens must remain in public trust, as privately held fossils cannot undergo peer-reviewed scientific study or be viewed by the public.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published October 17, 2026 · Photo by sofia inductgroup on Unsplash