A 150 million year-old skeleton of an unknown dinosaur species was sold for $2.3 million at an auction in Paris on Monday.
An unnamed French collector outbid others — including interested parties from Japan and Sweden — and “wants [the skeleton] to be on display in a French museum,” auctioneer Claude Aguttes told the Agence France-Presse.
The 30 foot-long skeleton is thought to be a species that may be related to the Allosaurus fragilis, a carnivore from the late Jurassic era. However, it may be composed of skeletons from two different dinosaurs, according to Science.
The skeleton, which is 70% intact, was found in Wyoming in 2013.
Some in the scientific community, including those at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Bethesda, MD, expressed concern to Science prior to the auction about selling the skeleton to a private individual. They warned that scientists may be unable to study it, and that placing monetary value on the skeleton may make it more difficult for paleontologists in the field.
In response to Science, Eric Mickeler, from the European Chamber of Expert-Advisors in Fine Art, which oversaw the auction, cited instances of wealthy buyers lending skeletons to museums.
