A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton has sold at Sotheby’s in New York for a record £37.4 million, highlighting the growing appeal of dinosaur fossils among ultra-wealthy collectors. The sale matters because specimens once mainly associated with natural-history museums are increasingly being treated as high-value private luxury assets.

The article describes reconstructed dinosaur skeletons as a new status symbol for billionaires who already own art collections, superyachts and other rare possessions. It frames the auction as evidence that the market for major prehistoric fossils has become highly competitive, with a price close to £40 million.