What’s Hot in the Auction World: Old Shoes, Rare Gems, and a T-Rex Skeleton

An entire skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex was recently sold to a private buyer for over $6 million at an auction held in Zurich. The TRX-293 Trinity, composed of 293 bones from three different T-Rexs found in Montana and Wyoming between 2008 and 2023, stands at 3.9 meters high and 11.6 meters long, according to a Reuters report. Despite the winning bid of 4.8 million Swiss francs being less than the estimated 5 to 8 million Swiss francs, the total price went beyond what was expected, thanks to the buyer’s premium and fees at Koller Auctions. With more than half of the skeleton’s bones being original, the remaining parts were made from plaster and epoxy resin casts. This was the first time that an entire T-Rex skeleton of exceptional quality had been sold in Europe and the third time globally.

Aside from the T-Rex skeleton, a pair of sneakers, worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals, recently set a record after being auctioned off for $2.2 million. Called “Breds” or “black and red,” the Air Jordan 13 sneakers were worn by Jordan in the second game of the Finals during his last season with the Chicago Bulls, known as the “Last Dance.” Reuters reports that Jordan played extraordinarily well in that game, scoring 37 points, leading the Bulls to victory against the Utah Jazz, and winning his sixth and final NBA championship. Jordan was also named the Finals MVP.

Looking ahead to June, the world’s largest ruby, estimated to be worth over $30 million, will be put on auction by Sotheby’s in New York. This ruby, known as the Estrela de Fura, weighs 55.22 carats and was found in Mozambique’s northern region of Montepeuz in July 2022. The ruby was unearthed from a mine owned by the mining company Fura, according to a Reuters report. If the ruby fetches its anticipated price, it will become the most expensive ruby ever sold at auction. Uni Kim, a specialist in Sotheby’s jewelry department in Asia, mentioned that the auction house made the announcement at a preview held in Hong Kong on 17 April.

Overall, these recent auction events highlight the wide range of items that can be sold in today’s market. From iconic sports memorabilia to rare gems and even dinosaur fossils, these auctions demonstrate that almost anything can be worth a considerable amount of money.