Skeleton of Tyrannosaurus Rex Discovered

On August 12, 1990, fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson made an extraordinary discovery while exploring the rugged landscape near Faith, South Dakota. Protruding from a cliff were several large fossilized bones. They belonged to a Tyrannosaurus rex, and further excavation would reveal something remarkable: one of the largest, most complete, and best-preserved T. rex skeletons ever discovered.

The dinosaur would eventually become known as “Sue,” named in honor of Hendrickson.

The discovery came somewhat by chance. Hendrickson was working with a team from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research when the group encountered trouble with a vehicle. While others headed into town, Hendrickson stayed behind and explored nearby cliffs that had caught her attention. There, she spotted fossilized bones exposed in the rock. When the team returned, they quickly realized the significance of what she had found.

Excavation revealed an exceptionally complete T. rex skeleton, with roughly 90 percent of its bones recovered. Scientists determined that Sue had lived approximately 67 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period. The enormous predator measured about 40 feet from snout to tail and stood roughly 13 feet tall at the hip. Researchers have estimated that Sue was around 28 years old at the time of death—an impressive age for a T. rex.

The skeleton also offered scientists an extraordinary opportunity to study the life of one of history’s most famous predators. Sue’s bones showed evidence of numerous injuries and ailments, providing clues about the harsh existence of a massive carnivore living millions of years before humans appeared.

But the story of Sue did not end with the excavation.

A complicated legal battle soon erupted over ownership of the fossil. Federal agents seized the skeleton in 1992, and years of litigation followed. Ultimately, the courts determined that the fossil belonged to landowner Maurice Williams, on whose property it had been discovered.

In 1997, Sue was put up for auction at Sotheby’s in New York City. Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History purchased the skeleton for $8.36 million, with financial assistance from organizations including McDonald’s and Disney. At the time, it was the highest price ever paid for a fossil at auction.

After thousands of hours of preparation and study, Sue went on public display at the Field Museum in 2000. The dinosaur has since become one of the museum’s most famous attractions and an icon of paleontology.

More than three decades after that August day in South Dakota, Sue continues to fascinate scientists and visitors alike. What began with a few bones protruding from a cliff became one of paleontology’s greatest discoveries, providing an extraordinary window into a world that existed tens of millions of years ago—and bringing us face-to-face with one of the most formidable predators ever to walk the Earth.