Dinosaurs Also Enter the Vaults of the Wealthy... Fossil Auctions Swept Up for Tens of Billions

150 Million-Year-Old Camptosaurus Fossil 'Baeri'
"80% Skeleton Intact"...Winning Bid Up to 1.7 Billion KRW
"Are Dinosaurs Also Going into the Vaults of the Rich?" Criticism Arises

A rare dinosaur fossil has come up for auction, attracting attention. Some critics argue that dinosaur specimens are ending up in the vaults of wealthy individuals.

The fossil of a Camptosaurus dinosaur from 150 million years ago, almost perfectly preserved, is set to be auctioned, according to the British BBC and others on the 18th (local time). The auction will be held on October 20 at the H?tel Drouot auction house in Paris, France.

On the 12th, an auction house staff member assembled the Camptosaurus dinosaur fossil 'Barry' at Hotel Drouot in France.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

This dinosaur is named 'Barry,' reportedly first discovered in the 1990s by paleontologist Barry James in Wyoming, USA. It is estimated to have lived in the Late Jurassic period of the Mesozoic era and is an adult specimen measuring 2.1 meters in height and 5 meters in length.

Due to its rarity, the winning bid for this auction is expected to reach up to 1.2 million euros (approximately 1.7 billion KRW). Alexandre Gicquel of H?tel Drouot explained, "It is a very well-preserved specimen and quite rare," adding, "Barry's skull is 90% intact, and the rest of the skeleton is 80% complete."

Rare Dinosaur Fossil... Highest Auction Price Ever 36.8 Billion KRW

The fossil of the dinosaur Camptosaurus named 'Barry'.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Worldwide, dinosaur fossil auctions are rare events held only a few times a year. According to the BBC, in July, the auction house Sotheby's put up for auction the fossil of a Pteranodon pterosaur, known to have lived during the Cretaceous period.

This dinosaur, measuring 7 to 8 meters in length, became famous after appearing in the movie "Jurassic Park." The winning bid was expected to reach up to 8 billion KRW, but the actual amount was not disclosed.

In April this year, a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil was auctioned for the first time in Europe at a Swiss auction, selling to a private collector for about 8 billion KRW. Tyrannosaurus fossils are highly popular, with one selling in 2020 for a record-breaking 36.8 billion KRW, the highest price ever for a dinosaur fossil.

"Dinosaur Fossils Locked Away in Collectors' Vaults... Museums Will Disappear"

However, some critics raise concerns about rare dinosaur specimens with archaeological and scientific research value falling into private hands.

Professor Steve Brusatte, a dinosaur expert at the University of Edinburgh, pointed out during the Swiss Tyrannosaurus auction that "rare dinosaur fossils may disappear into private collectors' vaults, making public exhibition impossible."

When a Deinonychus dinosaur, reassembled with artificial bones, sold for about 16 billion KRW at auction last May, he criticized, saying, "This is not normal," and warned, "If dinosaur specimens fetch such prices, museums, research institutes, and educational facilities will disappear."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.