“The finest Stegosaurus specimen ever found — named ‘APEX’ — sold today at Sotheby’s New York for a record-breaking $44.6 million, making it the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction,” Sotheby’s announced Wednesday in a post on X.

The fossil from the Late Jurassic period was expected to fetch between $4 million and $6 million but far exceeded expectations, breaking the previous record set by a Tyrannosaurus skeleton named “Stan,” which sold in 2020 for nearly $32 million.

Sotheby’s said the Stegosaurus skeleton, which is anatomically correct and was mounted in an aggressive attack pose to be exhibition-ready, is “virtually complete” with 254 of its 319 bones accounted for. It measures 11-feet tall and nearly 27-feet long from nose to tail.

“The specimen was meticulously prepared to the highest standards, showcasing the fossils’ natural beauty and preserving important contextual information, including fossilized skin impressions and three ossicles (throat armor), which are offered along with the specimen,” Sotheby’s added.

“Apex” was discovered in May 2022 on a private ranch in Dinosaur, Colo.

“This sale has been years in the making and at every turn, we have worked closely with Jason Cooper, from the moment of its discovery in Dinosaur, Colorado, to its sale in New York,” Hatton added, as she referenced the paleontologist who discovered the Stegosaurus.

Sotheby’s has not revealed any information about the buyer.