News by Levels · Level 3 · Student worksheet

$47.3 Million Fossil Sale Raises Questions About Scientific Access

Name: __________________________ Date: __________________

Read the story

A mounted dinosaur skeleton known as Jodi sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York on October 27, the Associated Press reported. The amount exceeded the auction house’s $6 million to $9 million estimate, and the buyer has not been named publicly.

Found on privately owned land in Montana in 2019, the fossil is listed by Sotheby’s as Nanotyrannus. Some palaeontologists have expressed concern that specimens in private collections may become inaccessible for future research or public display. The sale itself does not establish what the new owner will do with it.

Source: Associated Press via Spectrum News NY1, 2026-10-27. https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/ap-top-news/2026/10/27/this-fossil-may-look-like-a-mini-t-rex-but-a-nanotyrannus-just-sold-for-a-giant-47-million0

Read and practise

1. Which outcome is confirmed in the article?

   1. Jodi sold for $47.3 million
   2. The buyer has promised to donate the fossil
   3. Researchers have permanently lost access to Jodi

2. Why does the article avoid saying Jodi is definitely unavailable to researchers?

   1. The new owner’s intentions have not been established
   2. The buyer has announced permanent museum access
   3. The skeleton was not actually sold

Your turn

Distinguish the confirmed auction result from the concern about access to Jodi.

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Read online: https://newsbylevels.com/news/jodi-dinosaur-skeleton-auction-october-2026/level-3/