A Tyrannosaurus rex skull unearthed in South Dakota two years ago is going on the auction block in December.

The Associated Press is reporting that Sotheby's is selling the 200-pound skull fossil, nicknamed 'Maximus', on December 9.

It's expected to bring in between $15-$25 million.

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The 6 1/2-foot skull was excavated in 2020 and 2021 in Harding County. It is estimated to be about 76 million years old.

There was a time three decades ago when western South Dakota was the unofficial 'Dinosaur Capital of the World'.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a trio of massive Tyrannosaurus rex remains were found in the Mount Rushmore State, and now have new homes in museums more than 7,000 miles apart.

It all began with the discovery of what would later become T. Rex 'Stan'.

Stan's remains were first unearthed near Buffalo in 1987 and were fully excavated in 1992. The fossils were later sold at auction for a record $31.8 million and will now be on display at a newly created museum in Abu Dhabi.

Before Stan could be fully removed from the ground, two other fossil finds were uncovered in Harding County.

Later in 1987, the remains of what would later be known as T. Rex 'Samson' were unearthed in South Dakota.

Later, Samson was on display at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas before being auctioned off for $5 million in October of 2009. Later that year Samson took up residence at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

In August of 1990, what would later be known as T. Rex 'Sue' was discovered in the same area. Those remains later sold for $8.3 million.

Sue is now on display at the Field Museum in Chicago.

From Frybread to Pheasants - Here are South Dakota's Official State Things

Every state in our nation has chosen things that represent the state in one way or another to be official state things. Like a flower, or animal. South Dakota is no different.

The Mount Rushmore has a state flower. But did you know we also have a state tree and a state fish? Yes, we even have a state code.

Here is what we have so far in Wyoming. Thanks to the South Dakota Secretary of State's Office for the info:

Life on a Cattle Ranch in Western South Dakota

Life is different out in the country. One look at the photo from Robin Bickel and you quickly realize that a workday is quite different as well, after all, she lives out west in South Dakota Cattle Country.

Robin Bickel took time to tell KIKN Country a little bit about her life out west and life as a woman, working outdoors with animals and nature in God's Country. Bickel lives and works on a cattle ranch operated by herself, her father, Jack, and his brother Keith. How far out in the country is she? How does 50 miles west of Mobridge, South Dakota sound? Yep, mountain time out there.

Life is so different in Sioux Falls, South Dakota compared to what our friends on the farm and ranches deal with. It's a half-mile to the grocery store for our family. For Robin, it's 17 miles. However, it's a quick step out her door and she's right in the middle of where a lot of the groceries come from.


Most Expensive South Dakota Related Things on eBay

In South Dakota, we've always prided ourselves on having one of the most reasonable cost of living rates in America.
But that doesn't mean that you can't spend a pretty penny when it comes to Mount Rushmore-related items.
All you've got to do is head to eBay where, in and among the 98,751 search results for South Dakota, you'll find some things that will set you back plenty.

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