Triceratops Big John Fossil Remains Sold For IDR 109 Billion At Auction In Paris

Big John's triceratops fossil at auction. (Wikimedia Commons/Camille Gévaudan)

JAKARTA - An American collector, who requested anonymity, purchased the fossilized remains of 'Big John', the largest triceratops dinosaur ever discovered by paleontologists, for 6.65 million euros, equivalent to 7.74 million US dollars or around Rp. 109. 716,4356,000 at auction in Paris, France

Big John, named after the owner of the land where dinosaur bones were found, is known to have roamed the area now known as South Dakota, more than 65 million years ago.

"This (fossil) was acquired by an American collector, and the individual is really excited about the idea of being able to bring an item like this for his personal use," said Djuan Rivers, a buyer's representative, citing Reuters Oct 21.

Possessing the first bone fragments of a supermassive skeleton, the skull-only portion of a triceratops 2.62 meters long and two meters wide, was discovered in 2014.

In 2015, paleontologists had unearthed 60 percent of the skeleton, a rare feat, made from more than 200 pieces painstakingly put together in Italy, in preparation for a Paris auction.

The dinosaur's skull showed traumatic injuries, which the researchers said were most likely caused by another triceratop attacking it from behind.

"The history behind this and the curation is truly impressive, so to be able to be a part of preserving something of this nature that is actually found in the United States, in South Dakota, is also something very special," Rivers said.

To note, the name triceratops means 'three-horned face'. The transaction price at the Drout auction house, before commissions and other fees, is 5.5 million euros. Drouot estimates the framework will cost between 1.2-1.5 million euros. It was sold to an unidentified US private buyer.

"This is a record for Europe. We are creating a market," said auctioneer Alexandre Giquello, describing the exponential growth in the relatively new market for dinosaur fossils.

Previously, auction house Christie's managed to sell a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton for $31.8 million in New York last year.