Dinosaur Fossils (1997) Sue, The Tyrannosaurus Rex In October 1997, Chicago’s Field Museum purchased Sue the Tyrannosaurus Rex at a Sotheby’s auction in New York City for $8.36 million , with additional financing provided by the McDonald’s and Disney corporations. This was the highest price ever paid for a dinosaur fossil at the time and made Sue the most expensive dinosaur ever sold. Discovered in South Dakota in 1990 by fossil hunter Sue Hendrickson, it was one of the most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex fossils ever found, and it was named in her honor. After the purchase, the Field Museum organized an exhibition of Sue, which opened in 2000, and has been one of the most visited exhibitions ever since. Most Recent Record Sale: $31.8M (+280%, "Stan," Christie’s, 2021)
Comic Books (1997) First Appearance of Superman In 1997, a mystery buyer purchased Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman, for a record $150,000 in a private sale. That buyer was eventually discovered to be actor and collector Nicholas Cage. The book, graded 9.0 by Certified Guaranty Company, was the highest publicly-graded copy known to exist. It is believed that only 5 copies graded 8.0 or higher are in circulation, and generally it is considered one of the most valuable comic books in the world. Most Recent Record Sale: $3.25M (+2,066%, 8.5, Comic Connect 2021)
Watches (1999) Patek Phillipe Pocket Watch The most expensive watch sold in the 1990s was the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication pocket watch, which sold for $11 million at Sotheby's in 1999. This watch is considered one of the most complex and intricate timepieces ever made, featuring 24 different complications, including a perpetual calendar, moon phase, and split-seconds chronograph. The watch was commissioned by banker Henry Graves Jr. in the 1920s and took eight years to make. The watch was purchased by Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani of the Qatari royal family for his private collection. Most Recent Record Sale: $23.98M (+117% - Sotheby’s, 2014)
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