A Dinosaur at Phillips This November, Phillips is set to make headlines by auctioning a juvenile triceratops fossil during its Modern and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York on November 18. Nicknamed “Cera,” the 66-million-year-old fossil is estimated between $2.5 million and $3.5 million, making it one of the most valuable dinosaur skeletons to …
Phillips to Auction $3.5M Juvenile Triceratops in November Modern and Contemporary Sale
A Dinosaur at Phillips
This November, Phillips is set to make headlines by auctioning a juvenile triceratops fossil during its Modern and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York on November 18.
Nicknamed “Cera,” the 66-million-year-old fossil is estimated between $2.5 million and $3.5 million, making it one of the most valuable dinosaur skeletons to appear at auction in recent years.
Why “Cera” Is Special
Excavated in South Dakota in 2016, Cera represents over two-thirds of the original skeleton, far more complete than most comparable fossils. Key parts of the skeleton—including the vertebral column and limbs—remain intact.
Phillips notes that Cera is both the first full juvenile triceratops ever discovered and the first triceratops to appear at a U.S. auction in more than a decade.
The nickname references the beloved character from the animated classic The Land Before Time.
Fossils in the Auction Spotlight
While Cera’s high estimate of $3.5 million is substantial, it falls short of the record $44.6 million set at Sotheby’s in 2024 for Apex, a 27-foot stegosaurus skeleton.
Still, Cera headlines Phillips’s new category, “Out of This World,” which will debut within the November sale. This section will feature extraordinary natural objects, including:
- A Steneosaurus bollensis fossil
- A large golden nugget, “The Thunderbolt”
Expanding Horizons
Miety Heiden, chairman of private sales at Phillips, said the move reflects collector demand for objects that transcend traditional categories:
“There’s something powerful about the visual dialogue that happens between an awe-inspiring 66-million-year-old lot when presented alongside seminal works from the Modern and Contemporary eras.”
Partnering with Zurich-based dealer Christian D. Link, who has curated major natural history sales in Europe, Phillips hopes to bridge art and science for global collectors.
Link previously worked on the 2023 Swiss auction of the “Trinity” Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, which sold for $5.3 million.
FAQs
1. What is being auctioned at Phillips in November?
A juvenile triceratops fossil nicknamed Cera, estimated at $2.5–3.5M.
2. Why is this triceratops important?
It is the first full juvenile triceratops ever discovered and the first to be auctioned in the U.S. in over a decade.
3. How complete is the skeleton?
It preserves over two-thirds of the original bones, including the spine and limbs.
4. What is Phillips’s “Out of This World” sale?
A new category within its November auction, featuring rare natural world objects alongside modern and contemporary art.
5. How does Cera’s estimate compare to fossil records?
Much lower than the $44.6M stegosaurus “Apex”, but significant for a juvenile triceratops.
6. Who is Phillips partnering with?
Christian D. Link, a Zurich dealer specializing in natural history auctions.
Conclusion
With the debut of its “Out of This World” category, Phillips is redefining the boundaries of its auctions by mixing natural history and fine art.
The appearance of Cera, the juvenile triceratops, is more than just a sale—it’s a landmark event for fossil collectors and modern art buyers alike.
As Phillips joins the growing trend of auctioning extraordinary natural treasures, the November sale is set to be a fascinating collision of art, science, and market innovation.
