The Vertebrae of The Beast! Tyrannosaurus Rex

[Kurufossils 139]

My most recent and most exciting acquisition, a giant partial vert from a tyrannosaurus rex from the hell creek formation of Montana. Nearly went into cardiac arrest that I was able obtain such a large specimen from t rex, so I thought I would share. It really fills up the dinosaur collection and feels like it weighs a ton, I think the dimensions are somewhere around 6.5 inchs or so long and 10.5 inchs tall if I remember, would've been alot taller if the process was still intact and I like how the giant pores are visible cause of the damage. Super massive piece, I was worried about it collapsing my shelve but it fits fine so far.

[LiamL 863]

WOW, this is incredible. That's massive!

[Fossil-Hound 503]

Did you pay for that or acquire it? You should add this to collections.

[Kurufossils 139]

12 minutes ago, LiamL said:

WOW, this is incredible. That's massive!

@LiamL Yeah it exceeded expectations, I can't even hold it with one hand and nearly hurt my back lugging it around to show a friend.

@Fossil-Hound I acquired it, would've be ecstatic to be able to find it myself but I don't live near or in the promised land.

[Fossil-Hound 503]

6 minutes ago, Ryann10006 said:

@LiamL Yeah it exceeded expectations, I can't even hold it with one hand and nearly hurt my back lugging it around to show a friend.

@Fossil-Hound I acquired it, would've be ecstatic to be able to find it myself but I don't live near or in the promised land.

 

I live near the "promised land" but most of the sites are off limits and even if you do find one it takes a ridiculous amount of work to go through the proper channels to claim it. How much did you pay for it?

[Kurufossils 139]

@Fossil-Hound Yeah if you don't own land there yourself, it would be a hassle to ever find one and get one. A lovely price of only $153 which is absurd, the original owner picked it up at a fossil show years ago but I have a feeling he originally paid alot more.

[Fossil-Hound 503]

8 minutes ago, Ryann10006 said:

@Fossil-Hound Yeah if you don't own land there yourself, it would be a hassle to ever find one and get one. A lovely price of only $153 which is absurd, the original owner picked it up at a fossil show years ago but I have a feeling he originally paid alot more.

One of these could easily sell for $20,000 I'm not kidding. You managed to get a steal for it.

[Kurufossils 139]

@Fossil-Hound Haha I don't think for that much, realistically because of the condition I'd say it would go for between $1,000 - $2,500. But yeah definitely got it for a steal, I'm surprised the seller even sent it the wait was nerve wracking. 

[Fossil-Hound 503]

Just now, Ryann10006 said:

@Fossil-Hound Haha I don't think for that much, realistically because of the condition I'd say it would go for between $1,000 - $2,500. But yeah definitely got it for a steal, I'm surprised the seller even sent it the wait was nerve wracking. 

Do you realize just how rare these vertebrae are regardless of the condition?! The condition on that vert isn't to bad. You really scored on that one. Read up on Sue the T-Rex. That's a prime example of a pristine T-Rex from Montana that was pawned off for millions.

[Kurufossils 139]

@Fossil-Hound That's true though other t-rex bone pieces I've seen online have been priced between  $1,000 - 8,000 so far, whether there legitimate I don't really know. I think they would need to be top quality and articulated to reach prices like that but still extremely lucky to even get one in this condition. I definitely wouldn't try to make a profit regardless if I could, I'd rather keep it as one of the holy grails of my collection.

[Fossil-Hound 503]

2 minutes ago, Ryann10006 said:

@Fossil-Hound That's true though other t-rex bone pieces I've seen online have been priced between  $1,000 - 8,000 so far, whether there legitimate I don't really know. I think they would need to be top quality and articulated to reach prices like that but still extremely lucky to even get one in this condition. I definitely wouldn't try to make a profit regardless if I could, I'd rather keep it as one of the holy grails of my collection.

I'd sell it and buy a nice Eldredgeops multiplate or a Bellacartwrightia.  Love trilobites.  

[Kurufossils 139]

@Fossil-Hound Hey I would be tempted for a nice Arctinurus boltoni, trimerus, or isotelus of sorts haha. 

[WhodamanHD 3,072]

WOW! What a steal! Has it been treated with a consolidant yet? May be important to if not.

[jpc 4,124]

50 minutes ago, Fossil-Hound said:

One of these could easily sell for $20,000 I'm not kidding. You managed to get a steal for it.

Nice acquisition ryan.....

 

I know we are not supposed to do appraisals here, but if anyone paid 20K for a rex vert in this condition, then they are a fool.  There, I said it.  Sue was not only a well preserved specimen, but also had a crazy tale attached.  And I believe way over-bid.  But auctions can be like that.

 

Yes, T rex is rare, yes, people like them, but basing prices of T rex pieces on Sue is absolute folly.  I have had this discussion with a rancher friend who has indeed found one.  It is in medium to bad condition and he is pricing the bones based on Sue.  He has had it for sale for about four years or more.  No one will pay Sue prices for non-perfect T rex.   

[Kurufossils 139]

@WhodamanHD I'm not to sure but I think so, the bone seems ok but it still has matrix that falls off of it but I don't see that as much as a problem unless bone starts flaking off.

[Kurufossils 139]

@jpc Thanks, haha I know that very well it would sit in the markets for millions of more years at a price like that, even when there was more of a craze it wouldn't have reached nearly that sort of pricing no matter how beloved the t-rex is so exactly. Your rancher friend may as well sit on it and appreciate it for what it is because he would have to part with it on a very opposite lower end just to be able to sell it.

[jpc 4,124]

1 minute ago, Ryann10006 said:

@jpc Thanks, haha I know that very well it would sit in the markets for millions of more years at a price like that, even when there was more of a craze it wouldn't have reached nearly that sort of pricing no matter how beloved the t-rex is so exactly. Your rancher friend may as well sit on it and appreciate it for what it is because he would have to part with it on a very opposite lower end just to be able to sell it.

Yeah, I have a tough time explaining that to him.  

[LiamL 863]

Might be a weird question, but how much was shipping? I bet its super heavy.

[Kurufossils 139]

@LiamL has to be expensive judging by the weight alone, I don't really know since it was included.

[LordTrilobite 3,838]

That's very, very nice indeed.

 

 

It looks like the other side might be more complete under the matrix too. So it might be more complete than you might think.

[Kurufossils 139]

@LordTrilobite Thanks, yeah the otherside is covered by a light dusting of matrix but it still looks like its missing a good fraction of chunk on that side after a good look, at least it weighs slightly less because of it.

[Macrophyseter 602]

Horry, that's a rare catch! Tyrannosaurus teeth are already worth thousands, and you even get a rarer vertebra?

[Kurufossils 139]

@Macrophyseter I make sure to pray to the fossil gods daily!