A massive dinosaur skeleton, nicknamed Vulcain, will be sold in France on November 16.
Vulcain, an apatosaurus, is the biggest dinosaur ever to go up for auction. It’s expected to fetch up to $26.8 million, though its initial estimate was between $5 million and $9 million. The auction is being handled by two French auction houses, Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa.
Vulcain’s skeleton is 25 meters long, and 80% of its bones are original, dating back 145 million years. It was discovered in 2018 in Wyoming, USA, after a three-year excavation. For now, the skeleton is on display at the Dampierre-en-Yvelines castle near Paris, where the public can view it.
Even though the new owner will own the skeleton, scientists will still be allowed to study it. Auctioneer Olivier Collin du Bocage emphasised that such fossils are not just collectibles but also valuable for scientific research.
The apatosaurus, a long-necked plant-eater, lived in North America millions of years ago. It belonged to the same family as the diplodocus and stegosaurus. Though gentle by nature, the apatosaurus could defend itself when needed. Its name comes from Greek words meaning “deceptive lizard.”
If Vulcain’s auction succeeds, it won’t set the record for the most expensive dinosaur sale. Earlier this year, a stegosaurus named Apex sold for £34 million!
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