Billionaire Ken Griffin Breaks Auction Records
Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin has made headlines by purchasing a dinosaur skeleton for $44.6 million, setting a new auction record for the most valuable fossil ever sold. The 150-million-year-old stegosaurus skeleton, named “Apex,” was bought at a Sotheby’s auction, as reported by CNBC.
Billionaire Ken Griffin Breaks Auction Records
Standing 11 feet high, Apex dates back to the late Jurassic period and was excavated in Colorado in May 2022. After the sale, Griffin expressed his pride in keeping the fossil in the United States, saying, “Apex was born in America and is going to stay in America!” according to The Wall Street Journal, which first identified Griffin as the buyer.
Billionaire Ken Griffin Breaks Auction Records
The auction, held in New York, saw Griffin outbid six other contenders in a 15-minute live event. Initially estimated to sell for around $6 million, the final price of $44.6 million shattered expectations, reaching 11 times its low estimate.
Billionaire Ken Griffin Breaks Auction Records
Ken Griffin, who has a net worth of approximately $37.8 billion according to Forbes, is a regular donor to the Republican party. He is now considering loaning the fossil to a U.S. institution.
According to Sotheby’s, Apex is the largest stegosaurus ever found, measuring 11 feet tall and 27 feet long. The skeleton is nearly complete, with 254 bones out of an estimated total of 319. Apex is 30 percent larger than “Sophie,” the most complete stegosaurus on public display, which resides in the Natural History Museum in London.
