In 2019, rancher Jodi Pierson discovered a fossilized skeleton on her land in Montana. The fossil was located in the Hell Creek Formation, a rock layer spanning Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. Commercial paleontologist Clayton Phipps excavated the adult specimen, which was nicknamed "Jodi." The site was located eight miles from where the "Dueling Dinosaurs" fossils were uncovered in 2006.
The Discovery
Measuring nearly 10 feet tall and just over 19 feet long, the roughly 67-million-year-old fossil is one of three mostly complete Nanotyrannus skeletons. The specimen features key anatomical components:
- A skull and approximately 50 teeth
- A pelvic girdle, leg bones, arm bones, and claws
- Dozens of vertebrae and ribs
What Scientists Found
The fossil contributes to a debate that began in 1942 when researchers excavated a small, Tyrannosaurus rex-like skull in Montana. Paleontologists divided into two camps: those who viewed it as a young T. rex and those who believed it was a distinct genus, N. lancensis. An October 2025 study in Nature examining a small tyrannosaur from the Dueling Dinosaurs fossil asserted that Nanotyrannus is indeed its own genus, comprising two species: N. lancensis and N. lethaeus.
Jodi is classified as Nanotyrannus cf. lancensis, though "cf." denotes that the identification remains uncertain. Some researchers continue to debate whether the genus truly contains two separate species.
Why It Matters
On October 27, Sotheby's auctioned the fossil for $47.3 million following a 12-minute bidding war between six contenders, selling for over five times its high-end estimate. It is now the second most valuable dinosaur fossil ever auctioned, behind a 38-foot-long T. rex named "Gus" that sold for $50.1 million in July. The identity of the buyer is Not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
The sale produced contrasting views across the scientific community:
- Paleontologists including Steve Brusatte, David Hone, and Thomas R. Holtz Jr. voiced worry that rising price bubbles prevent public institutions from purchasing major fossils, placing them out of scientific reach.
- Paleontologist Megan Jacobs pointed out that privately acquired specimens often reach the public eventually, citing a Stegosaurus named "Apex" bought by Kenneth Griffin in 2024 that was placed on long-term loan to the American Museum of Natural History.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published October 29, 2026 · Photo by sofia inductgroup on Unsplash
