A billionaire donor to the republicans has bought a dinosaur fossil at auction for $44.6 million. Some are dubious of the reasoning offered by Ken Griffin, who made his money in hedge funds, for his purchase of the ancient creature remains.
The sale of the fossil also brought questions about whether it is right for a private buyer to get their hands on a specimen of scientific importance.
Dinosaur Dinosaur
The near-complete Stegosaurus fossil was sold at an auction by Sotheby’s.
It had initially been excavated near a town called Dinosaur, in the state of Colorado.
Rare Specimen
The fossil is notable for its excellent condition, which Sotheby’s detailed in their description of the rare find.
They described the fossil elements as “preserved in exquisite detail, exhibiting little distortion, and retaining much of their original shape and surface characteristics.”
Controversial Sale
The sale is not without controversy, as the specimen has not been studied and may be of scientific and historical importance.
It is so unstudied that Sotheby’s were not even able to list a species for the Stegosaurus in the fossil details record.
Dino For Sale
Scientists suggest that, rather than being sold, it should first be made available for study.
The sale of the dinosaur represents private interests outweighing potential public good from the scientific potential of the fossil.
Griffin’s Fortune
Griffin is worth a reported $38 billion, and has donated $60 million to the Republican Party during the current election.
He showed public support to Ron DeSantis, the current governor of Florida, in the primaries.
Not a Trump Supporter
He has held out on donations to Donald Trump, citing that he was awaiting the announcement of Trump’s running candidate.
Trump announced his running mate as author and venture capitalist, JD Vance, on Monday.
Bidding War
Sotheby’s said that the bid for the dinosaur fossils involved 7 bidders, and initially kept the identity of the highest bidder confidential.
However, Griffin accepted an interview with the Wall Street Journal, where he revealed that he had put in the highest bid, and gave his reasoning.
American Dino
Griffin made a statement to the Wall Street Journal laying out his intentions for the fossil, which would be kept in an institution in the US.
He said that the Stegosaurus fossil “was born in America and is going to stay in America.”
Record Breaker
The $44.6 million bid for the Stegosaurus is the highest price ever paid for a fossil.
The record price smashes the previous highest bid for a fossil, which was the $31.8 million paid for a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton back in 2020.
