Stegosaurus Named Apex Sells for Record $45 Million – What Makes It So Special?

The skeleton is a nearly-complete example, with 254 fossil bone elements out of an approximate total of 319 present

A new record has been set in the world of dinosaur fossils.

The skeleton of a Stegosaurus, named "Apex," has officially taken the title of the most expensive fossil ever sold, with a confirmed final bid price of $44.6 million, according to Sotheby's, who hosted the auction.

The sale price far exceeded Sotheby's expected range for the auction, which was originally listed at $4 million to $6 million.

The identity of the winning bidder has not been revealed at this time.

Related: 4 Americans Charged with Selling $1M of Dinosaur Bones to China

PEOPLE has reached out to Sotheby's for comment.

Dating back to the late Jurassic era, which was approximately 161–146 million years ago, Sotheby's stated in a YouTube video that Apex's skeleton was found in the Morrison Formation in 2022 by paleontologist Jason Cooper, who completed the careful excavation of the specimen in 2023.

Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby's global head of science and popular culture, noted in the video that "this particular specimen is really, really exciting because it is enormous." She also highlighted its "incredible level of preservation," which resulted in 254 fossil bone elements out of an approximate total of 319 remaining.

To fully complete the skeleton, "additional 3D-printed and sculpted elements" were utilized.

Measuring 11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet long, including a 45-inch femur, Apex commands a massive 20-foot, 5-inch footprint, which includes the "curvature of the spine and elevated position of the tail."

Related: Rare Dinosaur Known as 'Barry' to Go on Sale in Paris Auction

"Judging from the overall size and degree of the bone development it can be determined that the skeleton belonged to a large, robust adult individual, and evidence of arthritis, particularly notable in the fusion of the 4 sacral vertebrae, would indicate that it lived to an advanced age," according to Sotheby's.

"The specimen shows no signs of combat-related injuries, or evidence of post-mortem scavenging and exhibits a number of interesting pathologies," the listing also shared.

Sotheby's touted that the specimen "was meticulously prepared to the highest standards" to showcase "the fossils’ natural beauty" as well as preserve "important contextual information, including fossilized skin impressions, and three ossicles (throat armor), which are offered along with the specimen."

Related: World's Biggest Triceratops Skeleton Up for Auction, Expected to Sell for More Than $1.4 Million

The previous record-holder for the most expensive fossilized skeleton went to a Tyrannosaurus rex nicknamed "Stan," which was sold at auction in October 2020 for $31.8 million, according to National Geographic. The outlet also noted that Stan is now the property of Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism and will be displayed in a new natural history museum starting in 2025.

It is currently unclear if Apex will be displayed in a museum or placed in a private collection.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.