Farmer set to become a millionaire after two ‘very significant’ DINOSAUR skeletons discovered on his land go up for auction
A farmer is set to become an overnight millionaire after stumbling across the 70-million-year-old bones of two dinosaurs on his land.
The enormous 38ft long Tyrannosaurus rex was discovered just a few miles from the 26ft Triceratops – and together they are set to fetch more than two million pounds.
Experts have described the incredible finds as ‘very significant, very impressive and very valuable’.
A ‘very significant skeleton: The T-rex skeleton is said to be among the top 20 ever found in the world, as it boasts around 40 per cent of its original bones. The rest of the skeleton is made up of cast bones from other T-rex finds
The T-rex skeleton is so significant that it is said to be among the top 20 ever found in the world, as it boasts around 40 per cent of its original bones.
The rest of the skeleton is made up of cast bones from other T-rex finds.
The Triceratops, a herbivore known for having two large horns on its head and a smaller one on its nose, is 70 per cent original.
The bones of the gigantic beasts were found on a 20 square mile ranch in Hell Creek in the U.S. state of Montana before being excavated by dinosaur fossil hunters.
They have since been prepared and mounted ready for sale.
Bones of a gentle giant: The Triceratops skeleton is 70 per cent original. The bones of the gigantic dinosaurs were found on a 20-square mile ranch in Hell Creek in the U.S. state of Montana
The T-rex has been named ‘Russell’ after the American artist Charles Russell, who used a nearby shed when painting some of his Western landscapes.
It is tipped to fetch £1.4 million, while the Triceratops could fetch £560,000.
The world record for the most expensive dinosaur fossil was set in 1997 when ‘Sue’, a Tyrannosaurus rex, sold for £5.4 million.
Tom Lindgren, from Bonhams auctioneers’ natural history department, said: ‘These dinosaurs are very significant, very impressive and very valuable.
‘Both were found on the same ranch in Montana just a few miles apart in summer 2012, when a rancher noticed some bones sticking out of his land.
Triceratops was a 10 foot tall herbivorous dinosaur that roamed in the area east of the Rocky Mountains in North America. It shared its habitat with – and was preyed upon by – the carnivorous Tyrannosaurus that was around 12 foot tall and 40 foot long, illustrated in this CGI-style image
‘The T-rex is among the top 20 ever found – it is a fascinating and exciting time for paleontology and the hope is that the skeletons can go a museum where people can see them.
‘Their sheer presence is incredibly humbling, and it is amazing to think these creatures would have been walking our planet 70 million years ago.’
Triceratops was a 10 foot tall herbivorous dinosaur that roamed in what is east of the Rocky Mountains in North America.
It shared its habitat with – and was preyed upon by – the carnivorous Tyrannosaurus that was around 12 foot tall and 40 foot long.
The auction will take place at Bonhams in New York on November 19.
The T-Rex has been named ‘Russell’ after the American artist Charles Russell, who used a nearby shed when painting some of his Western landscapes. It is tipped to fetch £1.4 million when it goes to auction on November 19