<p>In May, Edvard Munch’s 1895 pastel artwork <em>The Scream</em> sold for $119.9 million, the highest price ever paid for art at auction. Weeks later a 70 million-year-old, 24-foot skeleton of <em>Tyrannosaurus bataara</em> cousin of the<em> T. rex </em>received a bid of $1.05 million at auction. Here, we show how science rarities (and some other famous objects) fared on the block.</p><div class="vert-display-toggle collapsible relative flex flex-col items-center "><div class="vert-unit mt-4 mb-3 top-20"><div ad-type="mobile-desktop" class="ad-wrapper vert min-h-boombox flex items-start justify-center" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-0"></div></div><span aria-label="Advertisement" class="text-ad mt-1 text-[11px] uppercase">Advertisement</span></div><p><em>■ </em><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/arts/design/the-scream-sells-for-nearly-120-million-at-sothebys-auction.html?_r=1" title="">The Scream</a></p><p>, artwork <strong>$119.9 million</strong></p><div data-embedid="4b651d8f-ea11-445f-9ea7-e776ca36eef3" id="insticator-embed-temp"></div><p><em>■</em><a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2007/02/12/bill-gates-discusses-his-leonardo-da-vinci-notebook/" title="">Codex Leicester</a>, scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci <strong>$30.8 million</strong></p><p><em>■</em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Blunt_Stradivarius" title="">Stradivarious Violin</a><strong>$15.9 million</strong></p><p><em>■ </em><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/world/europe/08briefs-AudubonBrf.html" title="">The Birds of America</a>, first edition book by John James Audubon <strong>$11.5 million</strong></p><p><em>■</em><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-babe-ruth-jersey-20120520,0,2380103.story" title="">Babe Ruth jersey</a>, circa 1920 <strong>$4.4 million</strong></p><p><em>■</em></p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/dinosaur-skeletons-sold-at-auction/2011/06/14/AGOfk6UH_story.html" title="">Allosaurus</a></p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/dinosaur-skeletons-sold-at-auction/2011/06/14/AGOfk6UH_story.html" title=""> and <em> Stegosaurus</em> fossils</a>, each about 18 feet long <strong> $2.7 million</strong></p><div class="vert-display-toggle collapsible relative flex flex-col items-center "><div class="vert-unit mt-4 mb-3 top-20"><div ad-type="mobile" class="ad-wrapper vert min-h-boombox flex items-start justify-center" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-1"></div></div><span aria-label="Advertisement" class="text-ad mt-1 text-[11px] uppercase">Advertisement</span></div><p><em>■</em><a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/national/8165297.html" title="">Ulysses S. Grant’s sword</a><strong> $1.7 million</strong></p><p><em>■</em><a href="http://www.artandantiquesmag.com/2010/01/the-lure-of-egypt/" title="">Egyptian sarcophagus</a> (circa 1000 B.C.) <strong>$120,000</strong></p><div class="vert-display-toggle collapsible relative flex flex-col items-center "><div class="vert-unit mt-4 mb-3 top-20"><div ad-type="desktop" class="ad-wrapper vert min-h-boombox flex items-start justify-center" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-2"></div></div><span aria-label="Advertisement" class="text-ad mt-1 text-[11px] uppercase">Advertisement</span></div><p><em>■</em><a href="http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2012/05/first-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-sketch-sells-for-71700/" title="">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, early drawing</a><strong> $72,000</strong></p><p><em>■</em><a href="http://www.slashfood.com/2007/02/15/worlds-most-expensive-mandm/" title="">Single brown M&amp;M</a> flown on SpaceShipOne <strong>$1,400</strong></p>

DSC121001

The October 2012 issue of Discover Magazine

The End of Youth

Have some money burning a hole in your pocket? You could buy yourself a piece of science history.

The Sciences

Science on the  Auction Block

Article

News

Fangfei Shen

Science

In May, Edvard Munch’s 1895 pastel artwork The Scream sold for $119.9 million, the highest price ever paid for art at auction. Weeks later a 70 million-year-old, 24-foot skeleton of Tyrannosaurus bataara cousin of the T. rex received a bid of $1.05 million at auction. Here, we show how science rarities (and some other famous objects) fared on the block. ■ The Scream , artwork $119.9 million ■Codex Leicester, scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci $30.8 million ■Stradivarious Violin$15.9 million ■ The Birds of America, first edition book by John James Audubon $11.5 million ■Babe Ruth jersey, circa 1920 $4.4 million ■ Allosaurus and Stegosaurus fossils, each about 18 feet long $2.7 million ■Ulysses S. Grant’s sword $1.7 million ■Egyptian sarcophagus (circa 1000 B.C.) $120,000 ■Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, early drawing $72,000 ■Single brown M&M flown on SpaceShipOne $1,400

Discover Magazine’s award-winning journalism inspires and informs, delivering thought-provoking content that sparks meaningful conversations. With a focus on groundbreaking developments in science, technology, and the world around us, Discover highlights the impact of these innovations on our daily lives.

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