Two years ago, Christie's made headlines when it auctioned a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton named Stan for an incredible $31.8 million. Now, the renowned auction house is putting another T. rex up for sale, this time at its Hong Kong location. This king of the dinosaurs is called Shen and is only the third T. rex to go up for sale at auction. Excavated from private land in Montana in 2020, Shen will be auctioned on November 30 after going on display in Singapore and Hong Kong.
“From its surging, bloodthirsty stance, to its remarkable preservation, this is one of the most scientifically studied T. rex skeletons to come to auction,” shared James Hyslop, head of science & natural history at Christie’s. “After the unforgettable, record-breaking sale of Stan at Christie’s New York in 2020, it is a thrill and an immense privilege for us to be trusted with the sale of another wonderous [sic] T. rex skeleton.”
This apex predator is 16 feet tall and 43 feet long. Believed to be male, Shen dates from the Late Cretaceous period (about 67 million years ago). The specimen is incredibly rare as, according to experts, only one in 80 million T. rex dinosaurs were preserved as fossils.
Christie's auction is particularly notable due to its location. Currently, most T. rex skeletons are located in Natural History Museums in North America and Europe. By holding the auction in Hong Kong, it's more likely that Shen will end up in Asia. Though, of course, that's not a given. Even though Stan was auctioned off in New York, it was recently revealed that he'll take center stage at a new Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi.
Wherever Shen ends up, his new owner will have the pleasure of naming him. Shen, which means “God-like,” is just a temporary name and is an homage to the other two auctioned T. rexes whose names began with S (Stan in 2020 and Sue in 1997). But whoever wants the privilege of adding Shen to their collection will need to have deep pockets. It's believed that this incredible specimen will fetch over $25 million.
In the leadup to the auction, Shen will be on display in Singapore at the Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall from October 28 to October 30. Then, just prior to the auction, he'll be exhibited at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 26 until November 30.
On November 30, Christie's Hong Kong will auction a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton named Shen.
Shen was excavated from private land in Montana in 2020 and is only the third T. rex in history to go up for auction.
Measuring 16 feet tall and 43 feet long, Shen is a scientifically important specimen.
Prior to auction, Shen—who is expected to sell for over $25 million—will be on display in Singapore and Hong Kong.
