Maximus, who is three metres long and in excellent condition, sold for CHF225,000 ($227,000) to a Swiss collector of beautiful objects, according to auction house director Bernard Piguet. He had been valued at between CHF200,000 and CHF300,000.
The dinosaur skeleton can be rapidly dismantled and put back together, like a construction kit. All the pieces are numbered, and when dismantled they can fit into a suitcase.
Curious onlookers showed up for the sale on Tuesday.
The auction was held in a hall and by telephone, with interest also from some potential buyers abroad. While Maximus was the star, the collection also included several other fossils which sold for more modest sums. For example, the tooth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex sold for CHF3,700, and a fossilised dinosaur egg went for CHF2,700.
The person selling all these prehistoric items is a paleontology fan who decided to sell some of his collection to continue funding his passion, according to Piguet.
Popular Stories
More
Foreign Affairs
How a top Swiss university is screening Chinese students
This content was published on
Sophie Hediger, a member of the Swiss national snowboard cross team, has died in an avalanche in Arosa. She was 26 years old.
This content was published on
Several Swiss films exceeded the 100,000 admissions mark worldwide in 2024 and received widespread praise at international film festivals.
Swiss Alpine resorts covered in white gold for Christmas
This content was published on
Many areas at low altitudes in Switzerland are enjoying a blanket of snow. In the mountains, intense precipitation has delighted skiers.
SWISS makes emergency landing in Austria after smoke in cockpit
This content was published on
Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) made an emergency landing of an Airbus in Graz, Austria on Monday evening after engine problems.
L’Oréal acquires South Korean subsidiary of Migros’ cosmetics brand
This content was published on
French cosmetics firm L'Oréal is acquiring Gowoonsesang Cosmetics, the South Korean subsidiary of the Migros-owned Mibelle group, for an undisclosed sum.
Sharp hike in number of protected historic monuments in Switzerland
This content was published on
In 2022, there were close to 91,000 protected historic monuments in Switzerland, 21% more than in 2016, said the Federal Statistical Office.
Switzerland adopts further EU sanctions against Russia
This content was published on
Switzerland has added several dozen names to its list of sanctioned persons or entities from Russia after adopting the amendments made by the European Union.
Marie-Antoinette’s jewels soar at ‘once in a lifetime’ sale in Geneva
This content was published on
A royal treasure trove including jewels that belonged to French Queen Marie-Antoinette has fetched CHF53.5 million ($53.2 million).
This content was published on
An original document signed by Swiss reformer John Calvin and dating from 1552 has been returned to the canton of Geneva.
This content was published on
A treasure trove of sketches from the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who wrote The Little Prince, have been found in a house in Winterthur.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.