Triceratops Skeleton 'Trey' Heads to Auction as Dinosaur Market Booms

The 17-foot-long fossil, on display at a Wyoming museum for decades, could fetch up to $5.5 million.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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A triceratops skeleton known as 'Trey' that has been on display at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis for nearly 30 years is set to be auctioned off on the online platform Joopiter. The fossil, discovered in 1993 near Lusk, Wyoming, has a pre-auction estimate of $4.5 million to $5.5 million, reflecting the surging demand for dinosaur specimens as prized investments.

Why it matters

The sale of Trey, a museum-exhibited dinosaur fossil, highlights the growing commercialization of the dinosaur fossil market, which has seen record-breaking prices in recent years. While this trend has made dinosaur fossils more accessible to private collectors, it has also raised concerns among paleontologists that important specimens could disappear from public view and scientific research.

The details

Trey, the 17-foot-long triceratops skeleton, was discovered in 1993 by commercial paleontologist Allen Graffham and has been on loan to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center since the museum's grand opening in 1995. The fossil has now been sold in a private transaction and is currently in Singapore, where it will be available for private viewings until the online auction on Joopiter from March 17 to 31.

  • Trey was discovered near Lusk, Wyoming, in 1993.
  • The Wyoming Dinosaur Center opened in 1995, with Trey on display.
  • Trey remained on loan to the museum until 2023.
  • The online auction for Trey will take place from March 17 to 31, 2026.

The players

Lee Campbell

The commercial paleontologist who discovered Trey in 1993.

Allen Graffham

The late commercial paleontologist who made numerous significant fossil discoveries, including Trey.

Wyoming Dinosaur Center

The museum in Thermopolis, Wyoming, that has had Trey on display since its grand opening in 1995.

Joopiter

The online auction platform founded by Grammy-winning artist and producer Pharrell Williams, where Trey will be auctioned.

Andre LuJan

The paleontologist who worked with Joopiter to prepare Trey for auction.

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What they’re saying

“Trey 'has this cultural aspect that a lot of fossils that go to auction these days just simply don't have.' This one is connected to people and undoubtedly has inspired young children who've seen it to pursue a career in paleontology.”

— Andre LuJan, Paleontologist (wbal.com)

“If a fossil goes into a private collection without guaranteed access forever, that data is essentially lost to science.”

— Kristi Curry Rogers, Paleontologist at Minnesota's Macalester College (wbal.com)

“Because we've had this paradigm shift in what owning dinosaurs means to society, people are naturally gravitating toward these benevolent situations where they loan them long-term to museums or they end up donating them to a new museum that's just being born.”

— Andre LuJan, Paleontologist (wbal.com)

What’s next

The online auction for Trey will take place from March 17 to 31, 2026, with a pre-auction estimate of $4.5 million to $5.5 million.

The takeaway

The sale of Trey, a triceratops skeleton that has been on public display for decades, highlights the growing commercialization of the dinosaur fossil market and the potential risks it poses to scientific research and public access to these important cultural and educational resources.