T. rex fossil nicknamed Gus sells for record $50.1 million at Sotheby's auction.
A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton nicknamed Gus sold for $50.1 million at Sotheby's in New York on Tuesday, setting a record for the most expensive dinosaur fossil ever auctioned. The 67-million-year-old specimen, discovered in South Dakota in 2021, was purchased by an anonymous phone bidder after a 10-minute bidding war involving seven participants.
13
Divergence score
9 outlets covered it, splitting into 8 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
8 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 9 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
AP News
NPR
CNN
BBC
Washington Times
Deutsche Welle
South China Morning Post
Al Jazeera
NY Post
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
CNN
Rare T. rex fossil sells for record $50.1 million at auction
scientific accessibility concerns · negative
Washington Times
Tyrannosaurus rex fossil named 'Gus' sells for $50M, sets record for most paid for fossil at auction
market validation perspective · neutral
First to report
- CNNfirst
- Washington Times+7.1 h
- BBC+7.1 h
- Deutsche Welle+8.9 h
- NY Post+12.0 h
- South China Morning Post+12.3 h
- Al Jazeera+20.5 h
- NPR+21.9 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
All outlets report the record price, but differ in emphasis: some highlight the scientific concerns about private ownership, others quote Sotheby's on market legitimacy, while wires focus on the auction drama.
How each outlet covered it
Broad agreement on what happened
Outlets across the spectrum land in roughly the same place: the shared language is highlighted.
13LOW DIVERGENCE
THE RIGHT
“Tyrannosaurus rex fossil named 'Gus' sells for $50M, sets record for most paid for fossil at auction”WT Washington Times RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“'Gus' the T. rex fetches record US$50.1 million at US auction” · AP News, BBC, Deutsche Welle, South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 9 outlets put it
LEFT2
NPRNPR Mystery bidder buys T. rex nicknamed 'Gus' for a record $50 million 58d ago CNNCNN Rare T. rex fossil sells for record $50.1 million at auction 59d ago RIGHT2
WTWashington Times Tyrannosaurus rex fossil named 'Gus' sells for $50M, sets record for most paid for fossil at auction 59d ago NYPNY Post Mystery bidder buys 'Gus' the T. rex for a record $50M: 'Exceptional find' 59d ago INTERNATIONAL4
BBCBBC Tyrannosaurus rex most expensive dinosaur ever sold 59d ago DWDeutsche Welle T. rex 'Gus' sells for record-breaking $50.1 million 59d ago SCSouth China Morning Post 'Gus' the T. rex fetches record US$50.1 million at US auction 59d ago AJAl Jazeera T.Rex skeleton sells for $50.1 million at New York auction 58d ago 10 tracked claims across 9 outlets
Fact ledger
All10Disputed1Claimed1Corroborated8
4/9
Disputed
The fossil's completeness ranges from 61% to nearly 80% depending on the measurement method.
Corroborated
Disputed
9 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger