A remarkably preserved Camptosaurus dinosaur skeleton, nicknamed Barry, originating from the late Jurassic period around 150 million years ago, will be auctioned in Paris next month.
Originally unearthed in the 1990s in Wyoming, USA, the dinosaur was first restored in 2000 by paleontologist Barry James, after whom it was named.
Barry was subsequently acquired by the Italian laboratory Zoic, which conducted further restoration work on the skeleton. This impressive specimen stands at 2.10 meters (6.9 feet) in height and stretches 5 meters (16.4 feet) in length.
Alexandre Giquello, representing the Paris auction house Hotel Drouot, remarked, “It is an exceptionally well-preserved specimen, a rarity. For instance, the skull is 90% complete, and the rest of the dinosaur’s skeleton is 80% complete.”
Dinosaur specimens appearing on the art market are infrequent, with only a handful of sales occurring worldwide each year, according to Giquello.
The skeleton, set to be displayed to the public in mid-October ahead of the auction, is expected to command a price of up to 1.2 million euros ($1.28 million).