A Tyrannosaurus rex skull unearthed in South Dakota is expected to sell for $15 million or more at auction in New York next month, officials with Sotheby害羞草研究所檚 said Tuesday.

The 200-pound (91-kilogram) skull fossil, nicknamed Maximus, is being sold Dec. 9 by an owner who wishes to remain anonymous, the auction house said.

The skull was excavated in 2020 and 2021 in Harding County, South Dakota, where other T. rex skeletons like and were found, according to Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby害羞草研究所檚 head of science and popular culture. She called the area 害羞草研究所渢he world capital for T. rexes.害羞草研究所�

Most of the rest of this T. rex害羞草研究所檚 remains were destroyed over time by erosion, but Sotheby害羞草研究所檚 experts said the skull was a major find. Hatton noted, 害羞草研究所淲hen you think about it, more people can fit a skull in their home than people who could fit a full dinosaur.害羞草研究所�

The 6 1/2-foot (2-meter) fossil is about 76 million years old and still has most of the external skull bones and numerous teeth, Sotheby害羞草研究所檚 experts said.

Hatton said two large puncture holes in the skull are evidence of a big fight, probably with another T. rex. 害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 know that this is what caused the death of this animal, but we can tell that it did have a major battle during its lifetime,害羞草研究所� she said.

Marks on the skull are interesting to study 害羞草研究所渂ecause they give us an idea about what life was like during ,害羞草研究所� Hatton said.

This specimen may not be headed to a research institution, though. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the ultimate trophy,害羞草研究所� Hatton said. 害羞草研究所淭o place in one害羞草研究所檚 home.害羞草研究所�

The Associated Press

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