A dinosaur skeleton auction in Paris recently made headlines, with an Apatosaurus selling for 4.5 million Swiss francs, the highest for its kind. Meanwhile, the University of Zurich acquired an even larger dinosaur. The piece explores the historical significance of dinosaur bone collecting, featuring notable figures like Edward Cope and modern collectors, including celebrities. It also highlights the Dinosaur Museum in Aathal, which attracts record visitors with its T. rex exhibit, and discusses the legacy of the Bone Wars in the Wild West.
Once again, the world is abuzz with news from the prehistoric era. In a remarkable auction held in Paris mid-November, a dinosaur skeleton fetched a staggering 4.5 million Swiss francs. This impressive specimen was an Apatosaurus, measuring 21 meters in length, making it the longest dinosaur skeleton ever sold at auction.
Interestingly, the University of Zurich also acquired a dinosaur skeleton a few months back. This acquisition came with a hefty price tag in the millions, and notably, the Zurich dinosaur is even larger than the celebrated Apatosaurus from Paris. More on that intriguing discovery shortly.
The Fascinating Discovery of T. rex
Human fascination with collecting dinosaur bones has a rich history, dating back to the 19th century. In 1892, Edward Cope, a multimillionaire Quaker and amateur paleontologist, embarked on an adventure in the sandy hills of South Dakota in search of a prehistoric creature. After weeks of searching, he uncovered a massive vertebra.
Cope envisioned a colossal creature, dubbing it Manospondylus gigas. Yet, it would later gain fame under the name Tyrannosaurus rex, marking the beginning of the legacy of one of the most formidable reptiles to ever roam the Earth.
Meet Switzerland’s Renowned Dinosaur Researcher
Fast forward to summer 2024 at the Dinosaur Museum in Aathal, where Köbi Siber, Switzerland’s most famous dinosaur researcher, enjoys a salad. At 81 years old, he shares, “Carnivores are the best,” while humorously including, “Large carnivores.” Siber has dedicated over fifty years to fossil hunting, mastering the art of bone handling, despite his early finds crumbling in his hands like “cookies.”
Dining nearby in a restaurant whimsically named “Dino Beiz’li,” Siber acknowledges the unfortunate misspelling of the establishment’s name, clarifying that the restaurant is not his but inspired by the museum. The haphazard arrangement of the museum’s skeletons, alongside meteorites, amber, and fossilized wood, draws paleontology enthusiasts and families alike. Children celebrate birthdays here, delighting in “dino cakes,” while visitors can also admire treasures from Siber’s crystal collection, inherited from his gemstone-wealthy Zurich family.
A Record Number of Visitors in Aathal
This year, the museum welcomed “Trinity,” a Tyrannosaurus rex assembled from the bones of three different, partially preserved skeletons, on loan from Belgium. This impressive exhibit is set to attract over 150,000 visitors, marking the highest attendance in the museum’s history. Siber is unperturbed by this success, noting that the allure of large carnivores, particularly the T. rex, never fails to captivate audiences.
The excitement surrounding dinosaurs fuels significant financial investments. Last summer, auction news stunned the paleontology community when a well-preserved Stegosaurus was sold for nearly 45 million dollars. High-profile auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s frequently sell dinosaur skeletons for astronomical sums. Sotheby’s highlighted the historical significance of the Stegosaurus sale, showcasing it through online footage. With the current enthusiasm for dinosaurs, it’s only a matter of time before new records are set.
Notably, the allure of prehistoric creatures extends beyond enthusiasts; even Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicolas Cage have been involved in fierce bidding wars over rare dinosaur fossils. Cage acquired the skull of a Tarbosaurus bataar for a quarter of a million dollars, while DiCaprio has become known for his exquisite collection of bones. Russell Crowe also entered the fray, having purchased a marine dinosaur skull from DiCaprio, although he later regretted his drunken impulse purchase and resold it through Sotheby’s.
Interestingly, the market for these ancient relics is not solely driven by celebrity collectors. Wealthy investors from the Middle East are increasingly showing interest in these prehistoric wonders. The most remarkably preserved T. rex skeleton, known as “Stan,” will soon be showcased in the Natural History Museum of Abu Dhabi, after being auctioned for 32 million dollars.
The Historic Bone Wars of the Wild West
The fascination with dinosaur bones is not a recent development. The history of dinosaur research is punctuated by the infamous Bone Wars that spanned from 1870 to 1900. As pioneers ventured into the uncharted territories of the USA, they unintentionally uncovered numerous dinosaur skeletons while building railroads and establishing towns.
Railroad workers were often incentivized to guide researchers to fossil sites, and even the legendary Buffalo Bill participated in fossil hunts. The main figures in the Bone Wars were Edward Cope and Othniel Marsh, two ambitious adventurers locked in a fierce rivalry to discover larger and more impressive dinosaurs. Their competition often led to sabotage and chaos, with teams clashing during excavations.
Back in their respective studies, Cope and Marsh hurriedly published their findings, despite making significant blunders; Cope once mistook a dinosaur’s neck for its tail, and Marsh mismatched dinosaur skulls. Even during this tumultuous period, wealthy individuals sought to associate their names with the great discoveries, exemplified by Marsh naming a prominent herbivore after industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who supported their work financially.