The Discovery
In 2019, Montana rancher Jodi Pierson uncovered a rare fossilized dinosaur skeleton on her property in Garfield County, Montana. The specimen was named "Jodi" in her honor. It belongs to a carnivorous species called Nanotyrannus, which roamed the Earth roughly 67 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period.
The mounted skeleton measures approximately 19.6 feet in length and stands about 9.6 feet tall. Consisting of around 191 fossil bone elements, it is nearly 70% complete, making it one of only three relatively complete Nanotyrannus skeletons known to science.
What Scientists Found
Although Nanotyrannus shared its ancient environment with Tyrannosaurus rex, it was about half the length of an adult T. rex. Anatomical studies show that Nanotyrannus possessed relatively longer forelimbs, larger hand claws, and more slender teeth than its famous relative. These distinct features long fueled debate over whether the creature was an independent genus or merely a juvenile T. rex. Research published in 2025 supported its classification as a distinct genus, heightening scientific interest in the species.
Why It Matters
On October 27, 2026, Jodi was auctioned at Sotheby's in New York, sparking a 12-minute bidding war among six online and phone participants. The skeleton fetched $47.3 million, far exceeding its initial estimate of $6 million to $9 million. This sale made Jodi the second-most-expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction, trailing only a T. rex skeleton named Gus that sold for $50.1 million in July 2026.
The transaction has sparked strong debate among paleontologists, including Steve Brusatte and David Hone, who worry that multimillion-dollar private sales keep important scientific specimens away from researchers and public institutions. The identity of the winning bidder and their plans for the specimen are not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published October 28, 2026 · Photo by Smithsonian on Unsplash
