The "Montana Dueling Dinosaurs" that crossed the auction block in New York CIty on Tuesday had no takers. The fossilized tyrannasaurid and a triceratops-like dino that date back to 67 million years ago and was valued between $7 to $9 million, did not attract buyers. It seems the two animals that engaged in a battle to death have to wait as the highest offer was just pegged at $5.5. million.
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers managed the bidding process. Offers started at $3.5 million but did not reach the reserve of the auction. The officials of the auction house are still hopeful that the fossils will end up with one of the institutions or museums that showed interest. Likewise, it will be favorable for the science community if a wealthy buyer will donate it to public museum.
"We already had parties contacting us in advance of the sale, that should they not sell, please keep us in mind, we're very interested. Those negotiations will begin immediately," said Bonhams co-consulting director of natural history, Thomas Lindgren, in a statement.
The pair of dinosaurs were discovered in a Montana ranch in 2006 by Clayton Phipps who has been looking for fossils for more than a decade in the area near Hell Creek. His team discovered an eroding pelvic bone of a dinosaur and later found out that it was a pair of Ceraptosid and Nanoytyrannus that seemed to have fought to the death. The discovery of the herbivore and carnivore dinos is considered significant as the most complete dinosaur bones from the Late Cretaceous era in North America.
An earlier report said that Phipps allegedly offered the "Dueling Dinosaurs" to the Smithsonian for $15 million but the latter declined. Bonhams is offering the unique find as one specimen.
"Behind the scenes, before the sale occurred today, I've had museums mention that they have difficulty coming up with funds this quickly, but should the lot not sell - which of course occurred - they want us to be in negotiations immediately. I'm very confident we're going to find a scientific home for these dinosaurs," Lindgren said.
With the failed bidding for the Montana pair of dinos, the famous T. rex dubbed as "Sue" remains to be the most expensive specimen that was sold at an auction. In 1997, Chicago's Field Museum bought the dinosaur for $8.36 million, far higher than earlier estimates of $1 million.
