Jodi the Nanotyrannus Sells for $47.3 Million, Second-Most Valuable Dinosaur Ever Auctioned
An extraordinarily rare Nanotyrannus skeleton known as “Jodi” has sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s New York, becoming the second-most valuable dinosaur ever sold at auction. Six bidders competed online and over the phone for more than 12 minutes before the skeleton ultimately sold to a telephone bidder. The result leaves Jodi behind only “Gus,” the Tyrannosaurus rex that sold at Sotheby’s in July for $50.13 million.
Jodi is one of only three substantial Nanotyrannus skeletons known to science and the first example to come to market since Nanotyrannus was confirmed last fall as its own distinct genus rather than an adolescent Tyrannosaurus rex. Sotheby’s describes Jodi as the finest and most complete Nanotyrannus available, with a virtually complete skull. Among known specimens, the auction house says it is surpassed in completeness only by “Bloody Mary,” the Nanotyrannus that forms one half of the celebrated “Dueling Dinosaurs.”
The scientific identity of Nanotyrannus had been debated for nearly a century, making Jodi’s sale particularly notable. The skeleton had previously been exhibited at Frieze Masters in London in 2023 under the name “Chomper,” where it was presented as a juvenile T. rex. By the time it reached Sotheby’s in 2026, that interpretation had changed.
Jodi was discovered in 2019 by Montana rancher Jodi Pierson, whose name was given to the dinosaur. The fossil was found just eight miles from the site of the Dueling Dinosaurs. The specimen was excavated by commercial paleontologist Clayton Phipps, known as the “Dinosaur Cowboy,” along with his then-11-year-old son Luke Phipps, Jodi Pierson and her husband Kelly Pierson, Nathan Cooper, Katie Busch and Chris Morrow.
Phipps was already closely connected to Nanotyrannus history through his excavation of the Dueling Dinosaurs.
“This auction would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Clayton Phipps (the Dinosaur Cowboy) and Pete Larson, as well as the wonderful team of people who worked together with Clayton to excavate and save “Jodi”: Jodi Pierson, Kelly Pierson, Luke Phipps, Nathan Cooper, Katie Busch, and Chris Morrow. Their passion and expertise have been fundamental to Jodi’s story. From the discovery and excavation, their commitment to understanding and preserving this remarkable specimen has helped bring us to this moment, a testament to the fact that we can all make major contributions to science. This exceptional result is a wonderful recognition of that work, and of the enduring fascination with the Nanotyrannus,” said Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s Vice Chairman and Worldwide Head, Science & Natural History
Jodi’s discovery and excavation were also documented in the first season of Discovery Channel’s Dino Hunters in 2020. On the program, Phipps and Pete Larson, president of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, identified the specimen as a Nanotyrannus. Larson has worked on numerous major dinosaur discoveries and excavations, including the famous T. rex specimens Sue and Stan.
The $47.3 million result adds another massive dinosaur sale to an already remarkable year for Sotheby’s Natural History department. In July, “Gus” became the most valuable dinosaur ever sold at auction when the T. rex brought $50.13 million. Jodi now occupies the No. 2 position, while “Apex,” the Stegosaurus that sold at Sotheby’s in July 2024 for $44.6 million, falls to third.
That gives Sotheby’s the three highest prices ever recorded at auction for dinosaur fossils:
- Gus, Tyrannosaurus rex — $50.13 million, July 14, 2026
- Jodi, Nanotyrannus — $47.3 million, October 27, 2026
- Apex, Stegosaurus — $44.6 million, July 17, 2024
Sotheby’s history with major dinosaur auctions stretches back nearly three decades. In 1997, the auction house sold Sue the T. rex, the first dinosaur ever sold at auction. Sue later became a centerpiece of the Field Museum in Chicago. Apex, meanwhile, is now on long-term loan to the American Museum of Natural History in New York.