Woman Who Sold the World’s Most Expensive Dinosaur

– Phyllis Kao sold the world’s most expensive dinosaur fossil for $44.6 million at Sotheby’s. –

[{"selector":"#anim-7a9b3bbd-110e-40df-a84c-b28512db0628","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8d201c46-99e4-4fb5-947e-263f3a56b88c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b96c5366-ffd7-491c-bb85-6802a12f2aa2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98f4a35e-6235-4304-a215-7560a62388c0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88cae00c-f17a-4b17-b9ba-48f7439728d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-018e1d27-ec8b-4c32-8a09-12505b3c8d50","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

– Kao is a vice president of client strategy for Sotheby’s and a seasoned auctioneer. –

[{"selector":"#anim-347f7ede-00fa-45a9-a625-1b50a89d2783","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80d640cf-4baf-4fef-b362-53b2c5b219df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c63b4564-1368-4982-bb56-85e32c29228d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-41278ea3-5282-4eba-9ec2-3714eca9b2c5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-94f04a27-3af4-4480-9dbf-91a85d596686","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb9b40d6-60c6-4fd6-adad-95baccdb56ec","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

– The bidding for the stegosaurus, named Apex, began at $3 million and quickly escalated. –

[{"selector":"#anim-86992cc0-9288-4b24-9a41-391b49d0d84a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4dc2a482-b423-49aa-b674-c59ada7281b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e2ce94c-d5ad-4324-b420-a4c086e66f71","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d95fa060-ca53-4c18-be39-58411bb85903","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1abb3b17-8366-495e-bf84-a071ad97169d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ba78272-1106-4ce4-bcd4-f9dd2c3c528d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Seven bidders participated, with Kao skillfully engaging them throughout the process

[{"selector":"#anim-557deb4a-d4da-4926-9394-455ccbd04d0d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-af8f0c15-743b-4ff8-b6cb-60618816ad28","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1692cae-272a-4e2d-96df-4287ae99d518","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1860d11-2e48-4adc-8bf3-1a159df1b081","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9a01bc7-4103-46cf-9b0e-b1d032e5e796","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9cbe2447-c6cd-4953-823f-8e6b14c4b862","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The fossil’s sale was streamed to millions, with over 2 million views on TikTok.

[{"selector":"#anim-fa928219-75dd-4e91-91ed-d9d971f02cbd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-728c2982-c92d-4a15-8b99-81f810e4b6c4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-450891d2-bbfe-408e-950d-db76885694fb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5cf16a8f-ab57-453e-ba59-20838c8fb9ec","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba881d55-4a82-409b-9c32-f1667e0e5454","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-55a49e29-95e7-4c88-bdb4-6d1b503627cd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The fossil was initially projected to sell for $4 million to $6 million but far exceeded expectations

[{"selector":"#anim-5b91f9e0-26f4-45b1-a7b8-2d5042cd4015","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3f21471-a349-411b-9cb3-914f0d2646bb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04e8dcb6-a805-4ed9-819d-0fef0b1741c8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a9ffeb05-050b-4b8c-9a5e-a79b13bd1ce2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf845e67-408a-49f0-8e59-2e5226b24733","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-50f8d2ff-adae-4a29-b6ea-9f60b413c690","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-b4bf532c-d167-417c-a46c-29bddd5e114d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.15)","scale(0.985)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] Heart Heart Heart Heart Heart Like & Share

Her signature auction look includes her hair in an updo, a practice advised by her mentor

[{"selector":"#anim-55b23efa-b6c1-491d-b507-043b916109c7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-264a8853-509d-4daa-9416-d5d32ee7c490","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e15f3451-5398-4f12-9409-5ee47bd851d7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72f2898a-66d0-4cce-8120-4e387c3d8300","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63f47d4c-a443-4629-92d5-7b1858c8b43e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90856317-a3b2-40ac-bdc7-94d1b2c4ce0a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The winning bid broke the previous record set by a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil sold for $31.8 million.

[{"selector":"#anim-2edd3590-5ef4-4fee-9a98-03253df0be68","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.75728%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-962c7f73-70eb-4adb-8675-55200f448bce","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1bc8e015-37ea-47d9-b5fa-f991871c1c85","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4385a69f-0dd3-4fd6-bde4-887b7e7d570b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93ffb05f-d2ef-4a4a-8e84-47d20d3bc472","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-91fcce45-b559-4b8a-8a87-d9a1e64d7ee1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-ebfe07c9-75e4-4b7c-95b5-a9f7e23feed5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.15)","scale(0.985)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] Heart Heart Heart Heart Heart read more articles Learn more