Christie’s is offering a nearly complete Caenagnathid nicknamed “Spike” with a guide price of about £3m–£5m. Discovered in South Dakota’s Hell Creek Formation in 2022, the specimen includes roughly 100 bones — far more than is typical for this rare group. Markings on a wrist bone suggest quill attachments, supporting the view that it was heavily feathered. Spike will be on public view Dec 5–8 ahead of the Dec 11 auction and can also be seen in VR on Apple Vision Pro.
Nearly Complete Caenagnathid 'Spike' — A Rare Dinosaur Fossil Goes on Sale at Christie’s
Christie’s is offering a nearly complete Caenagnathid nicknamed “Spike” with a guide price of about £3m–£5m. Discovered in South Dakota’s Hell Creek Formation in 2022, the specimen includes roughly 100 bones — far more than is typical for this rare group. Markings on a wrist bone suggest quill attachments, supporting the view that it was heavily feathered. Spike will be on public view Dec 5–8 ahead of the Dec 11 auction and can also be seen in VR on Apple Vision Pro.
17:33, 06.11.2025Science
Nearly complete Caenagnathid nicknamed “Spike” to be auctioned at Christie’s
One of the last dinosaurs to roam North America is being offered at auction with a guide price of roughly £3m–£5m. Nicknamed “Spike”, this Caenagnathid specimen was excavated from the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota in 2022 and has been reassembled for public display ahead of the sale in London.
Researchers describe the find as extraordinarily rare. Around 100 bones were recovered — far more than the handful of scattered elements typically associated with this group. The specimen stands nearly two metres tall and dates to roughly 68–66 million years ago, placing it at the very end of the Cretaceous period.
Spike is closely related to Anzu wyliei (the so‑called “chicken from hell”) and belongs to the broader group of oviraptorosaurs, theropod dinosaurs that are closely related to modern birds. Experts say Spike would likely have sported a pronounced, hen‑like crest, long, cassowary‑like legs, sharp claws on its forelimbs and jaws adapted for seizing prey.
James Hyslop, Head of Science and Natural History at Christie’s, said: “It lived at the very end of the Cretaceous alongside Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops — it would certainly have been on T. rex’s menu. Because it stands at a human scale, it meets your eye level and can be unnerving.”
Of particular scientific interest are markings on a wrist bone that appear to indicate quill attachments, lending further support to the idea that this animal was heavily feathered. Since the first Caenagnathid was described in 1940, only a handful of comparable specimens have been found and none have previously been offered at auction.
Christie’s expects the lot to attract international collectors and museums. Spike will be on public view from Dec 5–8 before appearing in the Groundbreakers: Icons of Our Time auction on Dec 11. The auction house has expressed a preference that the buyer display the specimen publicly. The fossil is also available to view in virtual reality to Apple Vision Pro users.
Note: The guide price is reported as £3m–£5m; final hammer price may vary depending on collector interest. The specimen’s scientific value comes from its uncommon completeness and the potential feather evidence provided by the wrist markings.