Triceratops skeleton to be auctioned off on platform founded by Pharrell Williams
Rare Triceratops Fossil Set for Auction on Pharrell Williams’ Platform
A once-displayed Triceratops skeleton, named ‘Trey,’ is set to be sold on Joopiter, an online auction site co-founded by Grammy-winning artist Pharrell Williams. This marks a unique case of a museum-exhibited dinosaur entering the auction market amid a surge in demand for prehistoric fossils, with recent sales reaching unprecedented levels.
Auction Details and Historical Context
The 17-foot-long fossil, estimated to fetch between $4.5 million and $5.5 million, will be available for bidding from March 17 to 31. Discovered in 1993 near Lusk, Wyoming, by Lee Campbell and the late Allen Graffham, the skeleton was on loan to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis for over 28 years before its recent private sale to Singapore.
Trey, a herbivore from the late Cretaceous era, first captivated visitors at the 1995 opening of the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. Its presence there ended in 2023, leading to its current status as a globally accessible item for private viewings in Singapore, where it will be showcased until the auction concludes.
Market Trends and Cultural Significance
The fossil’s name, ‘Trey,’ reflects its distinctive three-horned face, a feature that has drawn admiration for decades. Paleontologist Andre LuJan, who collaborated with Joopiter on the preparation process, highlighted its cultural value: “Trey has this cultural aspect that a lot of fossils just don’t have.”
“This one is connected to people and undoubtedly has inspired young children who’ve seen it to pursue a career in paleontology.”
Recent auction milestones, such as the $44.6 million sale of a stegosaurus skeleton in 2024, underscore the growing appeal of dinosaur fossils as investment assets. This trend has shifted focus from traditional art categories like old master paintings to items with historical and imaginative allure.
Concerns Over Private Ownership
Caitlin Donovan, Joopiter’s global head of sales, noted the increasing popularity of fossils as culturally resonant collectibles. “People are now starting to see the value in investing in these as assets,” she remarked.
“If a fossil goes into a private collection without guaranteed access forever, that data is essentially lost to science,” warned Kristi Curry Rogers, a paleontologist at Minnesota’s Macalester College.
Curry Rogers added that public institutions are struggling to compete in the booming market, with many specimens now being acquired by private entities. LuJan, however, emphasized that Trey’s journey began in private ownership and hopes it will eventually find a home in a museum, mirroring the fate of ‘Apex,’ a stegosaurus skeleton now exhibited at New York’s American Museum of Natural History after a long-term loan agreement.