• By Sakshi Srivastava
  • Fri, 18 Jul 2025 02:54 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Martian Meteorite: In a stunning display of scientific intrigue and high-stakes bidding, a rare juvenile dinosaur skeleton overshadowed what was the most valuable Martian meteorite ever sold at an auction in New York on Wednesday. While the 54-pound Martian rock fetched a record 5.3 million Dollars, it was the fossil of a Ceratosaurus nasicornis—the only known young specimen of its kind—that drew applause and closed at an eye-popping 30.5 million Dollars.

A Martian Marvel That Fell To Earth

Named NWA 16788, the Martian meteorite was discovered in the Sahara Desert in Niger in November 2023 by a meteorite hunter. Estimated to sell between 2 million Dollars and 4 million Dollars, the rock ultimately fetched a final bid of 4.3 million Dollars—5.3 million Dollars includingfees—setting a new auction record for meteorites, according to Sotheby’s.

Weighing 25 kilograms and measuring approximately 15 by 11 by 6 inches, the meteorite is about 70% larger than the next biggest piece of Mars found on Earth. It accounts for nearly 7% of all known Martian material on the planet. US Auction

A handler is reflected on a showcase as he organizes meteorite NWA 16788, in New York City, US. (Image Source: Reuters) 

“This is the largest piece of Mars we’ve ever found, by a long shot,” said Cassandra Hatton, Vice Chairman for Science and Natural History at Sotheby’s.

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Scientific analysis confirmed its origin through comparison with Martian samples collected by the Viking probe in 1976. Classified as an “olivine-microgabbroic shergottite,” the rock formed from cooling Martian magma and shows a glassy exterior—a sign of burning heat as it entered Earth’s atmosphere.

The True Star Of The Auction

Despite the space rock’s significance, the true star of the auction was a 150-million-year-old baby dinosaur. The juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis skeleton, standing over 6 feet tall and stretching nearly 11 feet long, ignited a six-minute bidding war involving six aggressive buyers.Dinosaur skeleton

he skeleton comprises nearly 140 fossilized bones. (Image Source: X/ @Reuters)

The pre-auction estimate ranged from 4 million Dollars to 6 million Dollars, but the fossil soared past expectations—closing at 26 million Dollars before fees.With taxes and other costs included, the total reached 30.5million Dollars, making it the third-highest auction price ever paid for a dinosaur fossil.

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Recovered from Bone Cabin Quarry in Wyoming in 1996, the skeleton comprises nearly 140 fossilized bones, carefully restored by Fossilogic, a Utah-based fossil preparation company. The buyer, whose identity remains undisclosed, plans to loan the specimen to an educational institution, Sotheby’s confirmed. This juvenile Ceratosaurus joins an elite group of high-value fossils, trailing only last year’s record-breaking 44.6 million Dollars Stegosaurus named “Apex.”