Hatton says the price paid reflects the time and resources that went into uncovering the specimen.
The bones were excavated over three summers, when it was warm enough for the ground to have thawed, from 2021 to 2023.
But it took a further three years in the lab to piece the T. rex back together.
This work revealed the skull had bite marks, and previously broken ribs that had healed in its lifetime.
Both injuries were potentially sustained during scavenging or during a battle with other dinosaurs.
It may be some time before the buyer is revealed, but Apex, the stegosaurus who held the last record, was loaned out to the American Natural History Museum for four years by its billionaire-owner Kenneth Griffin.
So, even if Gus has attracted an ultra-wealthy buyer it still might be coming to a museum near you soon.
