Los Angeles: An unusually well-preserved 65 million-year-old dinosaur nest containing fossil eggs sold in an auction for nearly $420,000.
Auction house Bonhams and Butterfields had estimated the raptoid nest, which contained exposed embryos of the predators, would go for between $180,000 and $20,000
auction officials said.
Details of the buyer in Sunday’s auction would be kept under wraps, said Jannelle Grigsby, a Bonhams spokeswoman.
The Cretaceous-era nest was unearthed in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong in 1984 and eventually was sold to an American collector in 2003.
The collector restored the nest to museum quality, revealing embryonic remains of 19 eggs.
Some eggs were so well preserved that the curled up embryonic raptors were visible inside.
Some scientists have said the nest should be exhibited in a museum in China and not held in private hands.
A fossilised garfish and turtle were among other fossils, minerals and gemstones up for auction.
Comments
0 comment