Billionaire investor Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, made history by purchasing a 150-million-year-old stegosaurus skeleton for $44.6 million at a Sotheby’s auction on July 17, 2024. This acquisition marks the highest amount ever paid for a fossil at auction, significantly surpassing the initial estimate of $6 million.
The skeleton, named “Apex,” measures 11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet long from nose to tail. It comprises 254 fossil bone elements and is one of the most complete stegosaurus skeletons ever found. Excavated from private land in Moffat County, Colorado, between 2022 and 2023, Apex shows no signs of combat-related injuries or post-mortem scavenging, suggesting it lived to a robust old age, possibly indicated by signs of arthritis in its bones.
Griffin outbid six other competitors during a 15-minute bidding war at Sotheby’s New York. Following his successful bid, Griffin expressed his intent to loan Apex to a U.S. institution, ensuring that the specimen remains in the country.
“Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America!”
Ken Griffin
Sotheby’s described Apex as “the finest stegosaurus specimen to come to market,” highlighting its exceptional size, near-completeness, and remarkable preservation. The fossil’s skin impressions and throat armor add to its scientific value and allure.
Griffin’s purchase of Apex continues his tradition of significant contributions to museums and historical artifacts. In 2018, he donated $16.5 million to Chicago’s Field Museum to support the display of a cast of Maximo, the largest dinosaur ever discovered. In 2021, he paid $43.2 million for a first-edition copy of the U.S. Constitution, which he loaned to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas.
This latest acquisition underscores Griffin’s commitment to preserving and sharing historical and scientific treasures with the public. His contributions have not only set records but also enhanced educational and cultural institutions across the United States.
