Gallery: Giant Ground Sloth For Sale, $450K OBO
01giant-ground-sloth
This 11-foot-tall relic of North America's megafauna-filled past could be yours for around half a million dollars, if you manage to outbid all the other sloth-obsessed tycoons. Sloths aren't your thing? Then perhaps you'd prefer to spend $2.8 million on a set of two dinosaurs. Or $875,000 for a meteorite. Or $60,000 on a giant elephant bird egg. More than 260 lots of fossils, minerals and other treasures, including the world's largest shark jaw, will be up for bids June 12 in Dallas in one of the biggest natural history auctions ever. Heritage Auctions, which is holding the event, estimates the total worth of the items for sale at around $13 million. The lots are all on display to the public June 9-12, but if you're not in Dallas, here's a preview of some of the biggest, rarest, costliest and most beautiful items of the bunch. *Photos and captions courtesy of Heritage Auctions* __Above:__ Giant Ground Sloth ------------------ *Eremotherium laurillardi* 180,000 to 550,000 years old Daytona Bone Bed, Daytona Beach, Florida Estimated Value: $450,000 This completely mounted skeleton is the sister specimen to the skeleton currently on display at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, Florida. Both sloth skeletons were initially prepared by technicians at the Royal Ontario Museum, and some missing elements were provided by them in the form of casts or real bones from other individuals so that Don Serbousek, one of the amateur paleontologists who discovered them, would have a complete skeleton to mount. Over 80 percent of the original bones are present in this specimen. The skeleton mount was completed in November, 2010, only three months after Mr. Serbousek's death at the age of 83. As mounted, this skeleton measures 15 feet in length from head to tail and stands 11 feet tall from the floor. It measures 5 feet wide across the hips, with the massive skull measuring 28 inches long by 14 inches wide by 15 inches tall. There are only three other known complete skeletons of these giant sloths mounted in museums around the world: one in the MOAS at Daytona Beach, Florida; one in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; and one in the British Museum of Natural History, London.
02great-elephant-bird-egg
Great Elephant Bird Egg and Embryo Skeleton ------------------------------------------- *Aepyornis maximus* Madagascar Estimated Value: $60,000 This incredible egg is from the largest bird ever to have lived: the Great Elephant Bird of Madagascar. The *Aepyornis* was a ratite (flightless bird), like the Moa, the Rhea and the Ostrich, lacking the keel to its breastbone that would provide sufficient leverage to operate its wings in flight. Believed to have grown to over 10 feet tall and weighing close to 900 pounds, it was a native of Madagascar that survived at least until the late 17th Century. Human desire for these eggs may have been the cause of its extinction as shell fragments have been found amongst remains of human-made fires, suggesting that they were a substantial food source. Remarkably little is known about the birds because no complete skeleton has ever been discovered and very few associated ones are available for study. Their most common remains are these incredible eggs, with a volume approximately 170 times that of a chicken egg. Most common are reconstructed eggs from fragments, but occasionally a complete specimen is discovered such as the one presented here. There are fewer than 30 complete specimens that have been documented and preserved in museum collections. The present example is considerably more significant than that, however. Because intact undamaged eggs are so scarce, scientists have been universally unwilling to break them open to examine the embryonic contents. The present egg, however, was accidentally dropped a number of years ago, which turned out to be an incredibly fortunate accident: out tumbled the perfectly preserved bones of an embryonic *Aepyornis*, a totally unique specimen. The egg was expertly repaired and the contents kept separate. Included in this lot are the complete contents of this egg which includes approximately 75 percent of the embryonic skeleton organized into a number of plastic containers. The egg measures 12 1/2 inches long and 28 inches in circumference.
03worlds-largest-shark-jaw
World's Largest Shark Jaw ------------------------- Teeth of *Carcharocles megalodon* set in a model jaw South Carolina 5 million to 23 million years old Estimated Value: $700,000 The ferocious megalodon was the largest predaceous shark ever to have swum the oceans of our planet, completely dominating the marine food chain for almost 20 million years. That it could reach the length of two city buses is immediately apparent from this tremendous, astonishing jaw, containing 182 first-class fossil teeth, each with superb enamel coverage, coloring and serrations, and measuring up to 7 5/8 inches along the diagonal, amongst the largest megalodon teeth ever discovered. The teeth of the megalodon have been found on continents across the world, but the finest examples are found along the coastal plains of the Mid-Atlantic States. The majority of the teeth in this specimen were collected in the rivers of South Carolina by the late Vito Bertucci, esteemed for his dedication and success in seeking out the finest megalodon teeth. It took him more than 16 years to recover enough specimens of the appropriate size and shape to complete this collection, the largest jaw set in the world, measuring 11 feet across and more than 8 feet high. Positioned with scrupulous scientific accuracy in a pair of jaws modeled in resin and scaled up from a Great White jaw set, the teeth are accurately arrayed in four rows, each row at a different angle for maximum efficiency in rending the flesh of the great fish's victims. The jaws contain four teeth that each measure over 7 inches along the diagonal, although this is not immediately obvious because part of the roots are embedded in the jaw. After 16 years of collecting megalodon teeth, Vito Bertucci finally had enough 7+ inch teeth to recreate his greatest jaw yet, the one on offer here, which took over a year and a half to construct with meticulous scientific accuracy. And sadly, it was to be his last, for Vito Bertucci passed away in October 2004 diving for fossils in the cold dark waters of the Ossabaw Sound, South Carolina.
04allosaurus-vs-stegosaurus
Allosaurus vs. Stegosaurus -------------------------- *Allosaurus jimmadseni* and *Stegosaurus mjosi* Dana Quarry, Ten Sleep, Wyoming 155 million years old Estimated value: $2,800,000 In the spring of 2007, on a ranch located near the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains in Ten Sleep Wyoming, a team from Dinosauria International LLC made an exciting discovery: the beautifully preserved femur of a giant carnivorous dinosaur. As they kept digging, their excitement grew greater. Next came toe bones, leg bones, ribs, vertebrae and finally a skull: complete, undistorted and, remarkably, with full dentition. It was an incredible find; one of the best known dinosaurs &emdash; Allosaurus, virtually complete, articulated and beautiful preserved. But that was not all. When the field jackets got back to the preparation lab, they discovered another leg bone beneath the Allosaurus skull... There was another dinosaur overlapping the Allosaurus skeleton in the 155 million-year-old rock. After more digging and more bones, they realized the enormity of their discovery: The Allosaurus was preserved together with another Jurassic icon, an armored Stegosaurus. It has been hypothesized that the pair got stuck in mud and died in combat, forever locked in death. The Allosaurus and Stegosaurus, deadly carnivore and armored herbivore, were often speculated to have fought pitched battles across the savannas of Upper Jurassic North America but never before had they been found together. Here at last was proof, not only of their co-existence, but possible preservation of their combat. The Allosaurus, named "Dracula," is a full grown adult measuring approximately 21 feet in length. The Stegosaurus, named "Fantasia," measures 18 feet in length and stands over 8 feet tall.
05minerals
__Left to right:__ Topaz ----- Ouro Preto, Brazil Size:2 1/2 inches high by 1 1/8 inches deep by 5/8 inches wide Estimated Value: $35,000 Diopside -------- Samax Mine, Tanzania Size: 1 3/4 inches high by 3/4 inches in diameter Estimated Value: $45,000 Tanzanite --------- Lelatema Mountains, Tanzania Size: 3 1/2 inches tall by 1 5/8 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches deep Estimated Value: $350,000 Tourmaline on Albite -------------------- Paprok, Afghanistan Size: 10 3/8 inches high by 3 inches deep by 2 3/4 inches wide Estimated Value: $100,000
06metorites
__Above:__ Willamette Meteorite -------------------- Clackamas County, Oregon Iron, medium octahedrite; shocked and recrystallized Estimated Value: $875,000 This is the crown section of the Willamette meteorite at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. It is the largest meteorite recovered in North America and the sixth largest in the world. It is believed the meteorite fell in Canada or Montana and was moved and deposited in Oregon by a glacial activity during the last Ice Age. In 1902, miner Ellis Hughes discovered the meteorite on property adjacent to his own, which belonged to Oregon Iron & Steel. Recognizing an opportunity to profit, Hughes endeavored to move the meteorite onto his property. Using a horse, wagon, cables and capstan, over a period of nine months he ingeniously moved the 15.5-ton nickel-iron mass onto his land, and then charged the curious to view it. Unfortunately for Hughes, one of his customers happened to be an attorney from Oregon Iron & Steel, and he noticed the telltale groove in the forest leading onto his employer's land. The company subsequently sued for possession, and after several colorful court cases, prevailed in its claim. The meteorite was exhibited at the 1905 World's Fair. While the meteorite's future resting place was being debated among civic leaders, Oregon Iron & Steel sold it to Mrs. William E. Dodge, who then immediately gifted the meteorite to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The Willamette meteorite has been on display at the Museum for 102 years, and it has been seen or touched by an estimated 50 million people. The crown section offered here was removed from the meteorite in 1997 to complete an exchange between the Museum and the Macovich Collection (for which the Museum received a highly exotic piece of the planet Mars). __Below:__ Gibeon Meteorite ---------------- Iron, fine octahedrite Gibeon, Namibia Estimated Value: $80,000 There is no meteorite similarly shaped as this offering. After having been unearthed in the Kalahari in 1990, local tribesmen were initially fearful to take possession of this meteorite as a result of its unnatural shape, and later referenced having left behind a "snail from the stars." A tribal leader assured his charges they could recover the object without concern. The specimen measures 26 inches by 11 inches by 8 inches and weighs 134 pounds. [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/?attachment_id=63002)
07triceratops
Triceratops ----------- *Triceratops horridus* Hell Creek formation, South Dakota 65\.5 million years old Estimated Value: $700,000 This specimen, discovered in 2004, loomed over astounded onlookers while it was on display at The North American Museum of Ancient Life in Lehi, Utah. Though it is impossible to say whether or not the skull is original to the specimen, being discovered 750 feet apart, it is certainly possible that the two elements are associated for a number of reasons: First, the size of the skull is consistent with the proportional size dimensions of the skeleton; and second, the surrounding matrix (host rock) was identical in composition. The completed skeleton is enormous, measuring 19 feet long from head to tail, 11 feet across, and towering 12 feet tall. The skull itself measures 7 feet long with 3 foot long horns, placing it near the top of the size range for Triceratops skulls. The leg bones stand 10 feet tall from toes to the top of the scapula, dwarfing many other Triceratops skeletons. Given that the skull represents about 30 percent of a dinosaur's entire skeleton, the present specimen is about 75 percent original bone, with the right leg, pelvic region, several cervical vertebrae and a few tail vertebrae being cast reproductions.
08pregnant-ichthyosaur
Pregnant Ichthyosaur -------------------- *Stenopterygius quadriscissus* 200 million years old Posidonienschiefer Formation, Holzmaden, Germany Estimated Value: $120,000 This exceptional example of the great aquatic reptile is one of the finest found. Even the finest bones are visible in superb definition. Details in the body suggest remnants of the creature's last meal in the stomach area, and most remarkable of all, a mass of smaller bones are visible near the rear of this mother Ichthyosaur &emdash; those of an unborn embryo. The skull and skeleton of the baby are disarticulated, suggesting a relatively early stage of development, but the details are perfectly visible, even down to the creature's tiny teeth. Very few "mother" Ichthyosaurids with an embryonic skeleton inside have been discovered. In fact, there are only about 7 other similar specimens known and all but one are in museums. The specimen is 7 feet, 4 inches long.
09minerals-2
__Above, left to right:__ Rhodochrosite ------------- Sweet Home Mine, Colorado Size: 4 inches wide by 2 3/4 inches high by 1 7/8 inches thick Estimated Value: $300,000 Aquamarine on Feldspar with Mica -------------------------------- Shigar Valley, Pakistan Size: Aquamarine: 6 inches long by 2 inches wide, Complete specimen: 9 inches high Estimated Value: $120,000 __Below, left to right:__ Calcite on Amethyst ------------------- Artigas, Uruguay Size: 18 inches wide by 17 inches deep by 14 inches high Estimated Value: $200,000 Wulfenite --------- Red Cloud Mine, Arizona Size: 4 1/2 inches long by 3 inches wide by 1 5/8 inches high Estimated Value: $100,000 [](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/?attachment_id=63007)
10ammonite
Ammonite -------- *Placenticeras intercalare* 65 million to 145 million years old Bearpaw Formation, Alberta, Canada Estimated Value: $40,000 A huge and dazzling example of these highly sought-after specimens, this extremely bright, colorful ammonite flashes across its entire surface on both sides with a gorgeous combination of fiery iridescent red, green, orange and gold, with hints of the extremely rare blue-purple. These beautiful shimmering colors were naturally created by the combination of millions of years of compression and the mineralization of iron, copper and silica which precipitated from the bentonite sediment of volcanic ash. This is an unusually fine and large example, displaying good three-dimensionality to over half of its size (most specimens are found almost entirely flattened) and measures 21 1/2 inches in diameter.
11duck-billed-dinosaur
Duck-Billed Dinosaur -------------------- *Maiasaura peeblesorum* Two Medicine Formation, Montana 70 million to 84 million years old Estimated Value: $450,000 The Maiasaura was one of the last dinosaurs ever to walk the Earth. A member of the duck-billed Hadrosauridae family, it was a classic North American herbivore. The name comes from the Greek "mother lizard" because it is believed that these dinosaurs nurtured their young for a significantly longer period than other species. A large nesting site discovered in the Two Medicine Formation of northern Montana has proven a treasure trove of behavioral evidence for paleontologists. First discovered in 1992 but not mounted until 2007, the present skeleton is that of a sub-adult Maiasaura, named by the preparators "Cory." It is one of the most complete mounted specimens of the species known, with an especially well-preserved, undistorted skull. Another significant and unusually fine feature is that it was found with incredible natural articulation to the hind legs and tail. An exceptional specimen, measuring 17 feet in length, prepared and presented to the highest standards possible.
