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Lone Star Mastodon is Sold at Auction
On January 20, 2008, Heritage Auction Galleries sold Lone Star the world's largest four tusk mastodon for $191,200. The non-disclosed buyer placed his bid by telephone. The $191,200 sale price reflects Heritage Auction Galleries 19.2% premium over the $160,000 final bid placed during the sale. And Mt. Blanco's portion of the sale received after the final value fees is $128,000. Because of mounting opposition to the sale resulting from both legal and other debts directly related to the skull, Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum filed for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy protection on Friday, January 18, 2008. By filing for Bankruptcy protection the museum was able to keep the mastodon in the auction which was in danger of being pulled from the sale. Because of the bankruptcy filing, the sale is still subject to the court's approval. However, the pre-auction estimate of the mastodon's value was placed at $120,000-$160,000 and since the Mastodon met those expectations, Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum does not expect any problems with completing the sale. Among the other items sold in the auction was a Hadrosaur skull that had been restored by Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum. Prior to the auction, Joe Taylor was also hired by Heritage Auction Galleries to repair several damaged exhibits that were to be sold in the Natural History segment. A cave bear skeleton, a T-Rex vertebra, a Russian mammoth tusk and an extinct saw toothed fish had all been damaged during shipping and moving. After repairs were made these fossils were sold during Sunday's auction. |
See a slide show presentation from the auction here. |
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Website: |
Heritage Auction Galleries - Dinosauria: American,
Heritage Auction Galleries - Natural History |
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Notes: | Only the Lone Star skull was sold in the auction. The Companion Fossils will remain a part of Mt. Blanco's collection for sale. |
Previous stories on the Lone Star Mastodon |
Lone Star Mastodon 2007 Presentation Videos |
Lone Star Mastodon 2006 Giant Four Tusk Mastodon finally unveiled. |
Four Tusk Mastodon 2005 Work begins on giant mastodon skull |
Update 11/13/2008
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