Rare Ceratosaurus Fossil Expected to Fetch Millions at Auction

Auction houses have been known to feature unique items, from Pokémon-shaped Cheetos to mummified cats, and dinosaur fossils are some of their rarest offerings. One of the latest prehistoric treasures to hit the market is the fossilized skeleton of a rare, carnivorous Ceratosaurus.

According to Sotheby’s, the fossil’s estimated value is approximately $4 million to $6 million, as the specimen is one of four known Ceratosaurus skeletons and the only known juvenile. Although the creature was young when it perished, it wasn’t small. The well-preserved fossil is about 6 feet 3 inches tall and 10 feet 8 inches long. It comes with a complete skull assembled from 57 bone pieces. The rest of its body consists of 139 fragile bone fossils and additional sculpted parts. The dinosaur sits atop a custom metal frame in a menacing stance, revealing its razor-sharp teeth as it appears to roar. 

The New York Times reports that the Ceratosaurus fossil was found by prospectors near the Bone Cabin Quarry in Wyoming in 1996. The specimen eventually made its way to the Museum of Ancient Life in Utah, where a teenage Brock Sisson—the future founder of the commercial paleontology company Fossilogic—was responsible for caring for the dinosaur. Sisson bought the Ceratosaurus from the museum in 2024 after starting his company, and now he’s ready to hand it off to someone else. Propsective buyers can begin bidding on the dinosaur on July 16, 2025, during Sotheby’s Natural History auction.

The Ceratosaurus fossil comes with a hefty price tag, but it’s nothing compared to the Stegosaurus that recently went up for auction. The incomplete, 150-million-year-old specimen fetched $44.6 million at Sotheby’s, making it the most expensive dinosaur fossil to date.

Curious about which ancient creatures roamed your neighborhood millions of years ago? You can use this interactive map to find out.

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