1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:18,400 ♪♪ 2 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,500 -I'll start by saying the events shown 3 00:00:20,500 --> 00:00:24,466 in this documentary are totally legal. 4 00:00:24,466 --> 00:00:26,700 We're talking about a legitimate market. 5 00:00:26,700 --> 00:00:30,300 We're talking about something going on in broad daylight. 6 00:00:30,300 --> 00:00:33,533 ♪♪ 7 00:00:33,533 --> 00:00:38,400 -Today, a new market is emerging around the world. 8 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,466 Wealthy enthusiasts are collecting dinosaur bones 9 00:00:41,466 --> 00:00:44,400 like others collect works of art. 10 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:45,933 -The coloring, the lighting, 11 00:00:45,933 --> 00:00:48,766 the textures on the bones can really be very beautiful. 12 00:00:48,766 --> 00:00:50,833 -Fossils are the same as a painting, 13 00:00:50,833 --> 00:00:53,233 so you can have them both in a museum, 14 00:00:53,233 --> 00:00:57,266 you can both have them at home. 15 00:00:57,266 --> 00:00:59,466 -Dinosaur skeletons are so rare, 16 00:00:59,466 --> 00:01:01,766 they stir up a great deal of excitement, 17 00:01:01,766 --> 00:01:04,000 which can lead to excessive speculation. 18 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,433 ♪♪ 19 00:01:07,433 --> 00:01:09,766 -I always say that far fewer dinosaurs 20 00:01:09,766 --> 00:01:11,933 go on sale each year around the world 21 00:01:11,933 --> 00:01:13,800 than beautiful Picassos. 22 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:15,666 ♪♪ 23 00:01:15,666 --> 00:01:18,766 -A specimen named Big John has once again 24 00:01:18,766 --> 00:01:21,433 created a buzz in the art world. 25 00:01:21,433 --> 00:01:22,733 -That was a very impressive skeleton. 26 00:01:22,733 --> 00:01:24,700 It was certainly a large skeleton, 27 00:01:24,700 --> 00:01:28,133 and I knew immediately we had a really cool skeleton. 28 00:01:28,133 --> 00:01:30,900 ♪♪ 29 00:01:30,900 --> 00:01:35,800 -This is the largest known triceratops in the world today. 30 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,200 But will it sell for a large price? 31 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,233 -1,500,000 will drive me to despair. 32 00:01:41,233 --> 00:01:43,166 At 2 million, I won't be happy. 33 00:01:43,166 --> 00:01:45,900 At 3 million, I'll be disappointed. 34 00:01:45,900 --> 00:01:50,400 -From archeological digs to ornately decorated homes, 35 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,800 from restoration workshops to auction halls, 36 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,033 look behind the scenes at a new kind of business -- 37 00:01:58,033 --> 00:02:00,166 Jurassic fortunes. 38 00:02:00,166 --> 00:02:04,566 ♪♪ 39 00:02:08,866 --> 00:02:15,866 [ Bell tolling ] 40 00:02:15,866 --> 00:02:23,566 ♪♪ 41 00:02:23,566 --> 00:02:25,133 -My name is Iacopo Briano. 42 00:02:25,133 --> 00:02:27,033 I'm an art dealer, but above all, 43 00:02:27,033 --> 00:02:29,100 I'm also a professional paleontologist 44 00:02:29,100 --> 00:02:30,800 and natural-history expert. 45 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:36,333 ♪♪ 46 00:02:36,333 --> 00:02:41,333 I work with auction houses, especially French ones. 47 00:02:41,333 --> 00:02:43,200 I'm the person who estimates the value 48 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,800 of fossil and mineralogical remains 49 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,633 and who also has a deep understanding of the market 50 00:02:48,633 --> 00:02:53,666 and who knows where to find the best pieces. 51 00:02:53,666 --> 00:03:08,800 ♪♪ 52 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,200 It was obvious to me that dinosaurs 53 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,166 were the most incredible chapter of natural history. 54 00:03:15,166 --> 00:03:18,433 A dinosaur creates a visceral reaction. 55 00:03:18,433 --> 00:03:19,700 Why visceral? 56 00:03:19,700 --> 00:03:21,866 Because regardless of who it is, 57 00:03:21,866 --> 00:03:24,733 when people see the remains of these incredible creatures, 58 00:03:24,733 --> 00:03:29,700 these monsters from the past, they feel something. 59 00:03:29,700 --> 00:03:31,266 Some get goose bumps, 60 00:03:31,266 --> 00:03:33,933 some want to run away, some get scared, 61 00:03:33,933 --> 00:03:36,400 and all because of the remains of these incredible animals 62 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:41,200 that dominated our planet for 150 million years. 63 00:03:42,933 --> 00:03:44,933 They had no predators. 64 00:03:44,933 --> 00:03:48,033 They were the undisputed masters of this world, 65 00:03:48,033 --> 00:03:50,166 and then they disappeared. 66 00:03:50,166 --> 00:03:51,600 Aesthetically speaking, 67 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,900 these objects are incredibly beautiful. 68 00:03:58,233 --> 00:04:01,133 There are, of course, many types of dinosaur buyers, 69 00:04:01,133 --> 00:04:03,333 from museums to private collectors, 70 00:04:03,333 --> 00:04:08,600 and one of them I'm particularly in contact with is Ralph. 71 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:09,766 -Ralph. 72 00:04:09,766 --> 00:04:11,366 -Ralph. Ralph is one of 73 00:04:11,366 --> 00:04:13,900 the most incredible collectors I've ever met. 74 00:04:13,900 --> 00:04:24,666 ♪♪ 75 00:04:24,666 --> 00:04:27,666 -Okay. Welcome to my house. Please come in. 76 00:04:27,666 --> 00:04:38,666 ♪♪ 77 00:04:38,666 --> 00:04:40,333 -As much as possible, 78 00:04:40,333 --> 00:04:42,533 I've always tried to contact collectors 79 00:04:42,533 --> 00:04:44,366 who are clearly eclectic... 80 00:04:44,366 --> 00:04:47,000 ♪♪ 81 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,733 ...collectors who were open to new things, 82 00:04:49,733 --> 00:04:53,000 collectors who wanted to explore a new world. 83 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,433 ♪♪ 84 00:04:56,433 --> 00:04:58,400 -My name is Ralph Wunsch. 85 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,700 I started a business 10 years ago called MetroDeal. 86 00:05:02,700 --> 00:05:05,100 It's about online selling coupons. 87 00:05:05,100 --> 00:05:09,333 And I live here in this house with my son, Michael. 88 00:05:09,333 --> 00:05:15,833 ♪♪ 89 00:05:15,833 --> 00:05:19,633 This is, I think, one of my favorite pieces 90 00:05:19,633 --> 00:05:21,200 in my collection. 91 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:26,766 The dinosaurs, they are 155 million years old. 92 00:05:26,766 --> 00:05:29,366 They're from the Cretaceous period. 93 00:05:29,366 --> 00:05:33,000 And one is the Diplodocus, the tall one, 94 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,833 which is a herbivore, and one is a Allosaurus, 95 00:05:36,833 --> 00:05:38,266 which is a carnivore. 96 00:05:38,266 --> 00:05:44,233 And they've been excavated in Wyoming in 2016. 97 00:05:44,233 --> 00:05:49,666 ♪♪ 98 00:05:49,666 --> 00:05:54,166 It's always very curious about dinosaur fossils, 99 00:05:54,166 --> 00:05:57,300 because when I was a little child, 100 00:05:57,300 --> 00:05:59,600 there have been, like, different fossils 101 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:01,433 always displayed in the museums. 102 00:06:01,433 --> 00:06:04,266 And I've been always kind of intrigued that, 103 00:06:04,266 --> 00:06:06,633 you know, fossils are same as paintings, 104 00:06:06,633 --> 00:06:08,900 so you can have them both in the museum, 105 00:06:08,900 --> 00:06:11,366 you can both have them at home. 106 00:06:11,366 --> 00:06:14,700 ♪♪ 107 00:06:14,700 --> 00:06:16,566 How it went in my case was, 108 00:06:16,566 --> 00:06:18,866 I was browsing through the Internet, 109 00:06:18,866 --> 00:06:21,500 and I saw a news article 110 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:25,366 that said, "Dinosaur auction in Europe." 111 00:06:25,366 --> 00:06:34,400 ♪♪ 112 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,000 So I went online 113 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,866 and registered for that auction. 114 00:06:37,866 --> 00:06:40,400 And then, eventually, after the auction, 115 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,300 I was able to have the winning bid, luckily. 116 00:06:44,300 --> 00:06:59,900 ♪♪ 117 00:06:59,900 --> 00:07:02,033 -Alexandre Giquello, auctioneer. 118 00:07:02,033 --> 00:07:10,433 ♪♪ 119 00:07:10,433 --> 00:07:13,400 It's impossible to come up with a composite sketch 120 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,100 of a dinosaur buyer. 121 00:07:15,100 --> 00:07:17,366 But the vast majority of these enthusiasts 122 00:07:17,366 --> 00:07:19,166 are a completely new kind of buyer. 123 00:07:19,166 --> 00:07:22,866 They're total novices, unfamiliar with public auctions. 124 00:07:22,866 --> 00:07:27,566 ♪♪ 125 00:07:27,566 --> 00:07:29,000 It's important to keep in mind 126 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,033 that for essentially 127 00:07:30,033 --> 00:07:31,833 all of these buyers, 128 00:07:31,833 --> 00:07:34,166 the purchase was not planned. 129 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:36,933 However, some of them told us 130 00:07:36,933 --> 00:07:38,066 that consciously, 131 00:07:38,066 --> 00:07:39,566 or unconsciously, 132 00:07:39,566 --> 00:07:42,233 they'd always dreamed of buying a dinosaur, 133 00:07:42,233 --> 00:07:45,966 and now they had the opportunity to do it. 134 00:07:52,466 --> 00:08:01,866 ♪♪ 135 00:08:01,866 --> 00:08:03,333 -I'm Kléber Rossillon, 136 00:08:03,333 --> 00:08:05,133 owner of the Château de Marqueyssac 137 00:08:05,133 --> 00:08:06,733 and heritage enthusiast. 138 00:08:06,733 --> 00:08:19,500 ♪♪ 139 00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:21,200 I didn't buy Kan for myself. 140 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,866 It was for the public and visitors to Marqueyssac. 141 00:08:23,866 --> 00:08:28,166 ♪♪ 142 00:08:28,166 --> 00:08:30,900 A fossil like Kan is extremely precious, 143 00:08:30,900 --> 00:08:36,833 and we couldn't run the risk of accidentally damaging it. 144 00:08:36,833 --> 00:08:38,833 So we produced a replica of the head 145 00:08:38,833 --> 00:08:41,200 and placed it on the body. 146 00:08:43,333 --> 00:08:46,066 The original head is presented in a glass case 147 00:08:46,066 --> 00:08:48,300 next to the complete specimen. 148 00:08:56,533 --> 00:08:59,000 His skeleton is quite complete 149 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,433 because we have about 70% of it, 150 00:09:01,433 --> 00:09:04,700 and we have over 90% of the bones of his skull, 151 00:09:04,700 --> 00:09:07,366 which is simply exceptional. 152 00:09:07,366 --> 00:09:15,233 ♪♪ 153 00:09:15,233 --> 00:09:18,766 When you have an exceptional object like this one, 154 00:09:18,766 --> 00:09:20,466 that's totally unique, 155 00:09:20,466 --> 00:09:22,200 and at the time, there was nothing like it 156 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,100 because it was the first sale of a dinosaur in France 157 00:09:25,100 --> 00:09:30,433 in years, maybe even decades, you have to ask yourself, 158 00:09:30,433 --> 00:09:34,233 "How much am I willing to spend to get it?" 159 00:09:34,233 --> 00:09:36,733 It's a question that only you can ask yourself. 160 00:09:36,733 --> 00:09:40,733 ♪♪ 161 00:09:40,733 --> 00:09:43,766 Had someone bid higher than the price I'd offered, 162 00:09:43,766 --> 00:09:45,166 I wouldn't have acquired Kan, 163 00:09:45,166 --> 00:09:48,033 but I wouldn't have been dragged into a bidding war. 164 00:09:48,033 --> 00:09:50,400 That's for the enthusiasts who really want something 165 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:54,966 and must have it at all costs. 166 00:09:54,966 --> 00:10:01,233 ♪♪ 167 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,066 -[ Speaking Italian ] 168 00:10:08,066 --> 00:10:10,266 -Auctioning off a dinosaur, 169 00:10:10,266 --> 00:10:12,700 setting it up on the podium and selling it 170 00:10:12,700 --> 00:10:16,133 to the highest bidder, definitely attracted attention. 171 00:10:16,133 --> 00:10:19,000 But from the moment dinosaurs were first discovered, 172 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,166 collectors have always been interested in them. 173 00:10:22,166 --> 00:10:25,566 Beginning with the first discoveries in around 1850, 174 00:10:25,566 --> 00:10:26,966 professional paleontologists 175 00:10:26,966 --> 00:10:28,633 have spent their time in the field 176 00:10:28,633 --> 00:10:32,200 looking for exceptional pieces for big collectors -- museums, 177 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,600 public collections, private collections. 178 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,833 What we do is absolutely nothing new. 179 00:10:44,333 --> 00:10:58,400 ♪♪ 180 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,433 -My name is Thomas Carr. I'm a vertebrate paleontologist, 181 00:11:01,433 --> 00:11:04,233 and I'm employed as an associate professor of biology 182 00:11:04,233 --> 00:11:07,600 at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. 183 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,266 And I'm also director of the Carthage Institute 184 00:11:10,266 --> 00:11:11,700 of Paleontology, 185 00:11:11,700 --> 00:11:16,100 which brings us here to collect dinosaur bones. 186 00:11:16,100 --> 00:11:19,500 And we've been doing that since 2006. 187 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:28,166 ♪♪ 188 00:11:28,166 --> 00:11:31,800 What we have there is a triceratops carcass 189 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,766 that originally lain on a floodplain, 190 00:11:33,766 --> 00:11:38,000 and the floodplain is the flat area next to a river. 191 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:43,200 And a triceratops carcass had rotted and fallen apart. 192 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,900 And we are following those bones into the hill. 193 00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:55,900 ♪♪ 194 00:11:59,700 --> 00:12:12,833 ♪♪ 195 00:12:12,833 --> 00:12:14,600 Dinosaurs are very popular. 196 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,933 I think in global culture, everyone knows about dinosaurs, 197 00:12:18,933 --> 00:12:22,633 and they're almost victims of their own popularity. 198 00:12:22,633 --> 00:12:24,100 So "Jurassic Park" was, 199 00:12:24,100 --> 00:12:27,300 I think, a very important moment for many young people. 200 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:30,200 It's great P.R. for interest in dinosaurs 201 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,566 and, beyond that, interest in science, in general. 202 00:12:33,566 --> 00:12:35,733 But on the other hand, 203 00:12:35,733 --> 00:12:38,300 those films have produced a hunger 204 00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:40,766 for acquisition of real fossils. 205 00:12:40,766 --> 00:12:43,600 That is undeniable. 206 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:44,966 And it's interesting that 207 00:12:44,966 --> 00:12:48,400 in the most recent "Jurassic World" film, 208 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,466 an auction of living dinosaurs was featured. 209 00:12:51,466 --> 00:12:55,300 I do think the main factor was the auction of Stan. 210 00:12:55,300 --> 00:13:01,166 ♪♪ 211 00:13:01,166 --> 00:13:03,366 -Stan's auction is key to understanding 212 00:13:03,366 --> 00:13:05,433 where the market is heading 213 00:13:05,433 --> 00:13:08,366 because Stan broke all the records. 214 00:13:08,366 --> 00:13:12,400 He blew even the most optimistic expectations out of the water. 215 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:20,000 ♪♪ 216 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:21,266 -[ Speaking French ] 217 00:13:21,266 --> 00:13:23,466 -The huge specimen that sold in New York 218 00:13:23,466 --> 00:13:24,733 for an incredible price 219 00:13:24,733 --> 00:13:28,566 was presented all by itself at a modern-art auction. 220 00:13:28,566 --> 00:13:30,866 That promotes the idea that a T. rex, 221 00:13:30,866 --> 00:13:32,433 because it was a T. rex, 222 00:13:32,433 --> 00:13:36,000 was considered a unique masterpiece in and of itself 223 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,200 and put on sale at a modern-art auction. 224 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,900 ♪♪ 225 00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:47,200 -Stan is an icon, a symbol, a brand. 226 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:48,933 How can you sell that? 227 00:13:48,933 --> 00:13:51,433 How do you sell that in the French market? 228 00:13:51,433 --> 00:13:57,866 ♪♪ 229 00:13:57,866 --> 00:14:01,266 By holding a prestigious natural-history auction, 230 00:14:01,266 --> 00:14:04,533 called Naturalia, each year in Paris at Hôtel Drouot, 231 00:14:04,533 --> 00:14:06,700 Binoche & Giquello. 232 00:14:06,700 --> 00:14:08,566 So you need a showstopper. 233 00:14:08,566 --> 00:14:09,933 Exceptional items. 234 00:14:09,933 --> 00:14:12,933 And in this case, it was dinosaurs. 235 00:14:16,566 --> 00:14:17,833 Obviously, part of my job 236 00:14:17,833 --> 00:14:20,433 is tracking the latest major discoveries. 237 00:14:20,433 --> 00:14:23,100 Knowing what's been found in the field every year, 238 00:14:23,100 --> 00:14:25,200 every season, doing the research, 239 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,033 and that's very important. 240 00:14:28,033 --> 00:14:30,733 So every so often, it's essential to pay 241 00:14:30,733 --> 00:14:33,733 a quick visit to the commercial paleontologists 242 00:14:33,733 --> 00:14:39,466 in the United States to go see their top sites. 243 00:14:39,466 --> 00:14:57,800 ♪♪ 244 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:01,866 -My name is Walter Stein, and I discovered the dinosaur 245 00:15:01,866 --> 00:15:04,700 known as Big John the Triceratops. 246 00:15:04,700 --> 00:15:08,533 ♪♪ 247 00:15:08,533 --> 00:15:12,400 In 2014, I was out exploring a brand-new ranch, 248 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:16,766 and there was a part of a Triceratops horn sticking out, 249 00:15:16,766 --> 00:15:18,600 there was pieces of frill, 250 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,033 there was several vertebrae and several ribs. 251 00:15:21,033 --> 00:15:22,766 It was a very impressive skeleton. 252 00:15:22,766 --> 00:15:24,766 It was certainly a large skeleton. 253 00:15:24,766 --> 00:15:27,966 And I knew immediately we had a really cool skeleton. 254 00:15:27,966 --> 00:15:34,666 ♪♪ 255 00:15:34,666 --> 00:15:36,133 Oh, I've loved paleontology, 256 00:15:36,133 --> 00:15:39,100 I've loved dinosaurs, since I was about 6 years old. 257 00:15:39,100 --> 00:15:43,433 And so I'd build these massive Lego, Lincoln Log cities 258 00:15:43,433 --> 00:15:46,500 and then have Godzilla and his horde of mighty dinosaurs 259 00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:48,133 destroy them. 260 00:15:48,133 --> 00:15:50,566 So that's -- that's how I got my start. 261 00:15:50,566 --> 00:15:55,700 ♪♪ 262 00:15:55,700 --> 00:15:57,900 Well, I've never done a calculation to find out 263 00:15:57,900 --> 00:16:02,300 exactly how many hours I've worked on Big John, 264 00:16:02,300 --> 00:16:06,500 but it's a lot. It's a whole lot. 265 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:08,100 We have at least, 266 00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:11,933 I'd say, five months worth of work in the field 267 00:16:11,933 --> 00:16:13,933 just getting it out of the ground. 268 00:16:13,933 --> 00:16:21,400 ♪♪ 269 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,800 And we use this -- it's called a plaster jacket. 270 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,600 We use the plaster jacket to get the bones back to the lab 271 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:31,666 nice and safe. 272 00:16:31,666 --> 00:16:34,733 This works just like if you had broken your arm 273 00:16:34,733 --> 00:16:37,200 and you go to the doctor. 274 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:41,700 So, 2014 and 2015, we excavated the skeleton. 275 00:16:41,700 --> 00:16:49,933 And then, from 2015, '16, '17, '18, '19, we prepared it. 276 00:16:49,933 --> 00:16:54,066 But for that whole time, for that five, six years, 277 00:16:54,066 --> 00:16:56,000 we had it listed on our website, 278 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,900 we had it listed on social media. 279 00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:05,433 There was no secret that we had found a large triceratops. 280 00:17:05,433 --> 00:17:09,100 This was not hidden. 281 00:17:09,100 --> 00:17:12,866 I sent some messages off to many people, 282 00:17:12,866 --> 00:17:15,300 many friends in academia and whatnot, 283 00:17:15,300 --> 00:17:18,166 and, uh, there were no takers. 284 00:17:18,166 --> 00:17:20,233 No one -- no one was interested in it. 285 00:17:20,233 --> 00:17:23,200 Because it's a -- it's "just a Triceratops." 286 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,333 "Just a triceratops." 287 00:17:26,333 --> 00:17:28,566 Triceratopses are very common. 288 00:17:28,566 --> 00:17:30,966 There's about 350 known skeletons 289 00:17:30,966 --> 00:17:33,033 and skulls of Triceratops. 290 00:17:33,033 --> 00:17:36,200 And so, for six years, we waited. 291 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,200 We waited for somebody to come along and say, 292 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,266 "Hey, we could -- we could do something with that. 293 00:17:40,266 --> 00:17:42,833 We could put that together in the United States 294 00:17:42,833 --> 00:17:44,633 in one of our museums, a kids museum 295 00:17:44,633 --> 00:17:47,033 or one of the larger museums." 296 00:17:47,033 --> 00:17:49,400 Nobody called. Nobody came. 297 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,900 -Finding a dinosaur is one thing. 298 00:17:56,900 --> 00:17:59,933 Preparing a dinosaur is another. 299 00:17:59,933 --> 00:18:02,600 Essentially, my role in this auction 300 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,200 and in previous auctions, 301 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:09,033 was to connect two people, two worlds. 302 00:18:09,033 --> 00:18:12,200 [ Bell tolling ] 303 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:21,866 ♪♪ 304 00:18:21,866 --> 00:18:25,533 Zoic's decision, via Flavio Bacchia, 305 00:18:25,533 --> 00:18:27,100 to invest in Big John, 306 00:18:27,100 --> 00:18:32,933 to purchase the remains of Big John, wasn't made overnight. 307 00:18:32,933 --> 00:18:34,133 -[ Speaking Italian ] 308 00:18:34,133 --> 00:18:36,400 -We turn piles of bones 309 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,600 that most people can't begin to comprehend 310 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:41,966 into jaw-dropping specimens 311 00:18:41,966 --> 00:18:45,666 for museums, exhibitions, or whatever. 312 00:18:45,666 --> 00:18:53,266 ♪♪ 313 00:18:53,266 --> 00:18:57,666 We needed a big dinosaur to continue the relationship 314 00:18:57,666 --> 00:19:01,700 we had started with the international auction houses 315 00:19:01,700 --> 00:19:07,100 who turn to us each year for curiosities or specimens 316 00:19:07,100 --> 00:19:10,400 for their natural-history auctions. 317 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,933 They expect something from us and ask us, 318 00:19:13,933 --> 00:19:16,433 "What have you got? What have you got?" 319 00:19:16,433 --> 00:19:22,133 ♪♪ 320 00:19:22,133 --> 00:19:26,833 There was a Triceratops called Big John. 321 00:19:26,833 --> 00:19:30,100 It was dug up in 2015. 322 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:34,866 There was nothing else. Nothing. 323 00:19:34,866 --> 00:19:40,933 A specimen that's been available for two years raises questions. 324 00:19:40,933 --> 00:19:42,633 Why hasn't it been sold? 325 00:19:42,633 --> 00:19:45,400 I even thought there might be a problem somewhere, 326 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:48,133 that something was wrong with it. 327 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,233 -We discussed it a lot, and after a while, 328 00:19:55,233 --> 00:19:59,500 Flavio wanted to go out on a limb and try his luck. 329 00:19:59,500 --> 00:20:01,600 "Fine. I'll buy Big John." 330 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,066 He clearly sensed there was something there. 331 00:20:04,066 --> 00:20:07,500 He felt those remains had potential. 332 00:20:07,500 --> 00:20:10,300 -I requested information and prices. 333 00:20:10,300 --> 00:20:12,966 It was clear there was no negotiation, 334 00:20:12,966 --> 00:20:15,866 no competition, because, after a while, 335 00:20:15,866 --> 00:20:17,700 we simply came to an agreement. 336 00:20:17,700 --> 00:20:20,100 -You know, we weren't born with silver spoons in our mouth. 337 00:20:20,100 --> 00:20:24,566 We don't have a six-figure income. 338 00:20:24,566 --> 00:20:27,600 So my wife and I discussed it, and we -- 339 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:32,133 we came to the conclusion that it's just a Triceratops. 340 00:20:32,133 --> 00:20:35,033 It's one of 350 other specimens. 341 00:20:35,033 --> 00:20:38,866 We have other Triceratopses on the shelf, 342 00:20:38,866 --> 00:20:40,866 and we have a buyer. 343 00:20:40,866 --> 00:20:42,600 It's not the buyer I wanted. 344 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,266 I was hoping for a museum. 345 00:20:45,266 --> 00:20:47,400 But it's a little hard to, uh -- 346 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:50,966 to sell to a museum when you can't get them on the phone. 347 00:20:54,166 --> 00:20:58,000 I wish it had stayed here. I was sad when it left. 348 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,200 So I'll find another one. 349 00:21:06,900 --> 00:21:16,900 ♪♪ 350 00:21:16,900 --> 00:21:20,100 -The plaster jackets get shipped by plane. 351 00:21:20,100 --> 00:21:22,800 The first batch arrives in November 2020 352 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,966 and the second in December 2020. 353 00:21:25,966 --> 00:21:30,000 ♪♪ 354 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:34,700 We're talking about tons of plaster, matrix and bones. 355 00:21:34,700 --> 00:21:44,066 ♪♪ 356 00:21:44,066 --> 00:21:45,966 -[ Speaking Italian ] 357 00:21:45,966 --> 00:21:48,166 -There were far more bones in the blocks 358 00:21:48,166 --> 00:21:52,300 that were sent to us than what the finders had estimated. 359 00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:57,533 ♪♪ 360 00:21:57,533 --> 00:22:00,900 -At first, I thought we had a Triceratops 361 00:22:00,900 --> 00:22:04,433 that would be about 50% complete. 362 00:22:04,433 --> 00:22:08,033 But Big John's skeleton ended up being 60% complete 363 00:22:08,033 --> 00:22:11,000 and its skull 75% complete. 364 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:15,033 ♪♪ 365 00:22:15,033 --> 00:22:17,666 -We ended up with a much bigger skeleton, 366 00:22:17,666 --> 00:22:21,433 and although whoever dug it up knew it was big, 367 00:22:21,433 --> 00:22:25,566 they didn't realize just how big it really was. 368 00:22:25,566 --> 00:22:29,400 We were incredibly lucky. 369 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:32,133 Had the person in possession of this Triceratops 370 00:22:32,133 --> 00:22:34,700 in the rough been aware of these two facts, 371 00:22:34,700 --> 00:22:37,300 the price would have been completely different 372 00:22:37,300 --> 00:22:39,966 and possibly beyond our means. 373 00:22:39,966 --> 00:22:44,833 ♪♪ 374 00:22:50,966 --> 00:22:57,866 ♪♪ 375 00:22:57,866 --> 00:22:59,266 -[ Speaking Italian ] 376 00:22:59,266 --> 00:23:03,700 -Reconstructing a dinosaur is like a huge puzzle. 377 00:23:03,700 --> 00:23:06,766 The problem is, the puzzle has a thousand pieces 378 00:23:06,766 --> 00:23:08,633 and most of them have been broken in half 379 00:23:08,633 --> 00:23:10,800 by an obnoxious child. 380 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:12,200 It's a real nightmare. 381 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:23,600 ♪♪ 382 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,000 -[ Speaking Italian ] 383 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,300 -Once the bones had been pieced back together 384 00:23:28,300 --> 00:23:33,133 and prepared, you see what's missing. 385 00:23:33,133 --> 00:23:35,933 The missing parts are reconstructed. 386 00:23:35,933 --> 00:23:39,400 Once the bones were giving us an idea of the animal's size, 387 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,000 we took a scientific drawing of a Triceratops skeleton 388 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:47,633 and printed out a life-size enlargement of it. 389 00:23:47,633 --> 00:23:50,733 So we had this enormous Triceratops drawing 390 00:23:50,733 --> 00:23:52,933 on the lab floor, 391 00:23:52,933 --> 00:23:55,033 and as we worked on the bones, 392 00:23:55,033 --> 00:23:58,800 we laid them out next to it to see where they went, 393 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:02,933 how they fitted, and to see if the sizes matched up or not. 394 00:24:02,933 --> 00:24:05,866 ♪♪ 395 00:24:05,866 --> 00:24:09,033 In the course of our work, we'd prepared two complete 396 00:24:09,033 --> 00:24:12,900 Triceratops skeletons and seven skulls, 397 00:24:12,900 --> 00:24:16,200 so we knew a Triceratops when we saw one. 398 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,466 And this one was bigger. 399 00:24:18,466 --> 00:24:19,933 -[ Speaking Italian ] 400 00:24:19,933 --> 00:24:21,666 -And the teeth were much bigger, 401 00:24:21,666 --> 00:24:25,366 over twice as big as the ones we'd had before. 402 00:24:25,366 --> 00:24:28,366 The Paleontology Institute of the University of Bologna 403 00:24:28,366 --> 00:24:31,466 got involved and sent someone over to do a thesis, 404 00:24:31,466 --> 00:24:36,166 and the paleontology professor supervised our work. 405 00:24:36,166 --> 00:24:48,166 ♪♪ 406 00:24:48,166 --> 00:24:50,166 -[ Speaking Italian ] 407 00:24:50,166 --> 00:24:53,833 -Part of the thesis work involved the student measuring 408 00:24:53,833 --> 00:24:57,066 all the bones of Big John's skull 409 00:24:57,066 --> 00:25:01,133 and comparing them to what was in the available literature. 410 00:25:01,133 --> 00:25:02,933 -[ Speaking Italian ] 411 00:25:02,933 --> 00:25:06,966 ♪♪ 412 00:25:06,966 --> 00:25:09,933 -We knew of a skull measuring 8 feet, 2 inches. 413 00:25:09,933 --> 00:25:12,933 Big John's was 8'7". 414 00:25:14,966 --> 00:25:21,800 ♪♪ 415 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:23,966 -For about three weeks, 416 00:25:23,966 --> 00:25:26,233 I couldn't follow the preparation work. 417 00:25:26,233 --> 00:25:28,566 I had been going back and forth to Trieste, 418 00:25:28,566 --> 00:25:30,600 but I wasn't able to go for a little while, 419 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:32,600 and no one was saying anything. 420 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,033 Flavio wasn't really replying to my messages. 421 00:25:35,033 --> 00:25:37,900 All he would say was, "I have a surprise for you. 422 00:25:37,900 --> 00:25:39,433 You'll see." 423 00:25:39,433 --> 00:25:51,766 ♪♪ 424 00:25:51,766 --> 00:25:56,566 Finally, I was able to get to Trieste, and I saw Big John. 425 00:25:56,566 --> 00:25:58,100 It was gigantic. 426 00:25:58,100 --> 00:26:00,266 And they told me we have confirmation 427 00:26:00,266 --> 00:26:03,833 that it's the world's largest Triceratops. 428 00:26:03,833 --> 00:26:07,500 And right there, I said, "We have a masterpiece here. 429 00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:10,266 We really have a showstopper for the auction." 430 00:26:10,266 --> 00:26:21,266 ♪♪ 431 00:26:21,266 --> 00:26:23,700 How do we attract the attention of a potential buyer 432 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:25,400 for Big John? 433 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,233 We show it off. 434 00:26:27,233 --> 00:26:33,400 ♪♪ 435 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,966 We choose an area known for its art galleries 436 00:26:35,966 --> 00:26:38,033 and its fashion designers, 437 00:26:38,033 --> 00:26:41,833 and we put Big John in a showcase window 438 00:26:41,833 --> 00:26:44,733 so the public can see him. 439 00:26:44,733 --> 00:26:47,033 And what do we get? 440 00:26:47,033 --> 00:26:49,900 Immediate press coverage. 441 00:26:49,900 --> 00:26:51,300 -[ Speaking Italian ] 442 00:26:51,300 --> 00:26:53,266 -The press from all over the world 443 00:26:53,266 --> 00:26:55,100 was talking about this dinosaur 444 00:26:55,100 --> 00:26:58,333 that had arrived in the center of Paris. 445 00:26:58,333 --> 00:27:00,266 And this is how the media buzz 446 00:27:00,266 --> 00:27:02,833 carried the news to the right ears. 447 00:27:02,833 --> 00:27:04,633 -[ Speaking Italian ] 448 00:27:04,633 --> 00:27:10,600 ♪♪ 449 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:11,733 -[ Speaking French ] 450 00:27:11,733 --> 00:27:13,666 -When the handlers opened the crate, 451 00:27:13,666 --> 00:27:17,900 I saw Big John for the first time with my very own eyes. 452 00:27:17,900 --> 00:27:19,900 I had direct contact with him. 453 00:27:19,900 --> 00:27:25,366 ♪♪ 454 00:27:25,366 --> 00:27:28,100 I was like a kid. 455 00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:32,633 It was a very strange feeling. Inexplicable. 456 00:27:32,633 --> 00:27:34,200 -[ Speaking French ] 457 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:36,766 -Five or six people were rolling it in. 458 00:27:36,766 --> 00:27:39,800 ♪♪ 459 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,066 Just getting it through the door, perfectly calculated. 460 00:27:43,066 --> 00:27:45,766 It was like a big show, all orchestrated, 461 00:27:45,766 --> 00:27:49,066 but out of necessity. 462 00:27:49,066 --> 00:27:51,900 It was the beginning of an adventure. 463 00:27:53,866 --> 00:27:56,966 [ Woman speaking French ] 464 00:27:59,833 --> 00:28:17,900 ♪♪ 465 00:28:17,900 --> 00:28:19,800 -Guinness World Records is asking 466 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:24,500 if we'd like to register Big John as the world's largest. 467 00:28:24,500 --> 00:28:30,133 ♪♪ 468 00:28:30,133 --> 00:28:35,200 Big John is the largest known Triceratops skeleton. 469 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:37,433 Obviously, Guinness World Records isn't 470 00:28:37,433 --> 00:28:39,200 the most scientific 471 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,800 or the most academic distinction available, 472 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:45,933 but we're talking about highly valuable publicity. 473 00:28:45,933 --> 00:28:48,866 -[ Speaking Italian ] 474 00:28:48,866 --> 00:28:52,100 -Big John's no longer just a Triceratops, 475 00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:54,466 "just a dinosaur." 476 00:28:54,466 --> 00:28:57,433 Massive amounts of people know about Big John, 477 00:28:57,433 --> 00:29:00,500 and he becomes famous and unique. 478 00:29:00,500 --> 00:29:06,133 ♪♪ 479 00:29:06,133 --> 00:29:07,900 -We have a very beautiful product, 480 00:29:07,900 --> 00:29:09,800 this large Triceratops. 481 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:13,233 We were fortunate to have considerable media coverage. 482 00:29:13,233 --> 00:29:15,800 Now buyers are coming forward. 483 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:20,966 ♪♪ 484 00:29:20,966 --> 00:29:23,400 -Amazed by the press coverage. 485 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,133 Fantastico. 486 00:29:25,133 --> 00:29:27,433 -Interest in him is fantastic. 487 00:29:27,433 --> 00:29:30,133 ♪♪ 488 00:29:30,133 --> 00:29:32,333 -Thank you. I appreciate. We will keep in touch 489 00:29:32,333 --> 00:29:34,333 in less than one week, most definitely. 490 00:29:34,333 --> 00:29:38,400 We wait for you, and we'll see you very, very soon. 491 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:44,233 ♪♪ 492 00:29:44,233 --> 00:29:46,766 -That was Japan. 493 00:29:46,766 --> 00:29:51,766 We now have six countries, six very interesting requests. 494 00:29:51,766 --> 00:29:55,800 They obviously want all the details about the auction. 495 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:58,000 Time to get to work. 496 00:30:05,533 --> 00:30:08,866 -With regard to the now global market 497 00:30:08,866 --> 00:30:13,166 for big-ticket dinosaur fossils, I'll just be honest with you. 498 00:30:13,166 --> 00:30:16,300 I just wish the whole damn thing would collapse. 499 00:30:16,300 --> 00:30:18,066 ♪♪ 500 00:30:18,066 --> 00:30:20,866 So let's pretend we have a dinosaur fossil available 501 00:30:20,866 --> 00:30:22,566 for $1 million. 502 00:30:22,566 --> 00:30:25,800 For a museum, $1 million can go a really long way. 503 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:30,233 $1 million could fund a decade of field programs like the one 504 00:30:30,233 --> 00:30:32,866 that I run here in Montana. 505 00:30:32,866 --> 00:30:34,633 $1 million could -- 506 00:30:34,633 --> 00:30:36,900 you know, that could be several new salaries 507 00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:39,033 for people to work in a lab. 508 00:30:39,033 --> 00:30:42,033 It could also fund an expansion of a gallery. 509 00:30:42,033 --> 00:30:43,500 But $1 million for one fossil 510 00:30:43,500 --> 00:30:49,933 just isn't realistic for a museum to invest in. 511 00:30:49,933 --> 00:30:54,100 -In reality, a great many collectors, 512 00:30:54,100 --> 00:30:56,466 more than I could ever imagine, 513 00:30:56,466 --> 00:30:59,066 who contacted us regarding prior auctions 514 00:30:59,066 --> 00:31:02,700 or the upcoming one for Big John, 515 00:31:02,700 --> 00:31:04,200 a huge specimen, 516 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:09,433 promised to loan it or give it to museums. 517 00:31:09,433 --> 00:31:20,300 ♪♪ 518 00:31:20,300 --> 00:31:23,933 -I think paleontology is one of the perhaps unique sciences 519 00:31:23,933 --> 00:31:26,366 where the public and the academic community 520 00:31:26,366 --> 00:31:31,233 can really cooperate and interact in a symbiotic way. 521 00:31:31,233 --> 00:31:33,366 I think it is one of these fields of science 522 00:31:33,366 --> 00:31:38,133 where an amateur can contribute and become involved. 523 00:31:42,633 --> 00:31:46,233 My name is Henry Kriegstein. I'm an ophthalmologist, 524 00:31:46,233 --> 00:31:49,933 but I've had an interest in dinosaurs for many, many years. 525 00:31:49,933 --> 00:31:51,600 And although I'm not a paleontologist, 526 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:55,100 I do like to study dinosaurs, to do field work, 527 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:59,700 look for dinosaurs, and do some preparation and collecting. 528 00:31:59,700 --> 00:32:07,433 ♪♪ 529 00:32:07,433 --> 00:32:08,633 So, over the years, 530 00:32:08,633 --> 00:32:11,433 I've purchased dinosaur bones and fossils, 531 00:32:11,433 --> 00:32:13,233 but the ones that mean the most to me 532 00:32:13,233 --> 00:32:17,733 are the ones that I've been able to locate and collect myself. 533 00:32:17,733 --> 00:32:20,800 [ Door creaking ] 534 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:22,866 [ Dog barking ] 535 00:32:22,866 --> 00:32:24,300 In our house on Martha's Vineyard, 536 00:32:24,300 --> 00:32:28,533 we have a Triceratops skull kind of in the foyer. 537 00:32:28,533 --> 00:32:31,766 When you enter the house, it's sort of the first thing you see. 538 00:32:31,766 --> 00:32:36,166 It's a specimen that I collected in Montana many years back. 539 00:32:36,166 --> 00:32:39,633 And it is a -- it does make an impression on guests 540 00:32:39,633 --> 00:32:41,133 who come to the house. 541 00:32:41,133 --> 00:32:44,133 And I guess we have a certain degree of notoriety 542 00:32:44,133 --> 00:32:46,766 on the island as a result of this. 543 00:32:46,766 --> 00:32:51,100 ♪♪ 544 00:32:51,100 --> 00:32:56,466 What I enjoy about this hobby of collecting dinosaurs 545 00:32:56,466 --> 00:33:00,533 is to be able to get involved in the entire process, 546 00:33:00,533 --> 00:33:03,100 from locating fossils in the field, 547 00:33:03,100 --> 00:33:05,400 digging them out of the ground, taking them home, 548 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,800 preparing them, mounting them, studying them, 549 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:12,433 understanding how they fit into the jigsaw puzzle of life 550 00:33:12,433 --> 00:33:14,466 and the evolution of life on Earth. 551 00:33:14,466 --> 00:33:15,600 And so these fossils mean 552 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,300 more than just decorative objects to me. 553 00:33:18,300 --> 00:33:32,566 ♪♪ 554 00:33:32,566 --> 00:33:34,133 So, this is a cast of a dinosaur 555 00:33:34,133 --> 00:33:37,300 that's been named Raptorex Kriegsteini. 556 00:33:37,300 --> 00:33:43,300 It represents a small species of Tyrannosaur, comes from Asia. 557 00:33:43,300 --> 00:33:46,400 I purchased this specimen in a block of matrix 558 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:51,233 at a fossil show in Tucson quite a few years ago. 559 00:33:51,233 --> 00:33:55,000 And when it was being prepared for me in Utah, 560 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,066 the group that was preparing it showed it to a paleontologist 561 00:33:58,066 --> 00:34:01,433 from the Denver Museum of Natural History. 562 00:34:01,433 --> 00:34:03,500 And he sent me a letter saying that it was his opinion 563 00:34:03,500 --> 00:34:06,733 that this represented a species that was new to science. 564 00:34:06,733 --> 00:34:09,400 And, you know, it was an important specimen 565 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,400 and perhaps I would consider donating it to an institution 566 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,900 where it could be studied and described and published. 567 00:34:15,900 --> 00:34:18,066 So, reading this letter, 568 00:34:18,066 --> 00:34:20,000 I thought that he was quite right. 569 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,200 This was a specimen that I didn't realize 570 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,266 was a new species, certainly, when I purchased it, 571 00:34:25,266 --> 00:34:29,266 and I decided I would donate it to the University of Chicago 572 00:34:29,266 --> 00:34:32,500 and for a TV show that he was involved with. 573 00:34:32,500 --> 00:34:35,266 He had a reconstruction of the head 574 00:34:35,266 --> 00:34:36,866 that was made with feathers, 575 00:34:36,866 --> 00:34:39,966 as it most likely would have had in life. 576 00:34:39,966 --> 00:34:41,733 And after the show was filmed, 577 00:34:41,733 --> 00:34:44,200 he gave me this bust of the dinosaur, 578 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,966 which I have, along with a cast of the skeleton. 579 00:34:47,966 --> 00:35:14,266 ♪♪ 580 00:35:14,266 --> 00:35:18,900 -Over 260 million acres of land out there 581 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:21,600 that the Hell Creek is exposed on. 582 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:25,766 ♪♪ 583 00:35:25,766 --> 00:35:29,633 And I can take you to dozens of sites like this. 584 00:35:29,633 --> 00:35:31,100 Nobody's working on them 585 00:35:31,100 --> 00:35:36,000 except for a handful of private collectors and ranchers. 586 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:41,600 ♪♪ 587 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:42,966 Right up above me here, 588 00:35:42,966 --> 00:35:45,133 you can see bone fragments just tumbling down. 589 00:35:45,133 --> 00:35:49,300 This whole area is just a field of broken bones. 590 00:35:49,300 --> 00:35:52,866 And I wanted to show you this because... 591 00:35:52,866 --> 00:35:55,566 this is what happens 592 00:35:55,566 --> 00:35:59,333 to a dinosaur if you don't collect it. 593 00:35:59,333 --> 00:36:01,066 This is what happens to dinosaur bones 594 00:36:01,066 --> 00:36:04,000 when they are exposed to the elements, 595 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:08,100 they slowly erode away to dust. 596 00:36:08,100 --> 00:36:09,700 And if we're not out here 597 00:36:09,700 --> 00:36:11,500 to find this stuff and collect them, 598 00:36:11,500 --> 00:36:15,500 they are effectively lost to science. 599 00:36:15,500 --> 00:36:17,200 In a museum setting, this is going to be 600 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:18,866 in a basement, collecting dust. 601 00:36:18,866 --> 00:36:23,966 But to a kid, if you got this in the hands of a kid or a teacher, 602 00:36:23,966 --> 00:36:26,100 this is inspiration right here. 603 00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:28,500 This is a piece of once-living animal, 604 00:36:28,500 --> 00:36:31,466 one of the most incredible animals to ever walk the planet. 605 00:36:31,466 --> 00:36:34,533 So for a kid, this is going to inspire 606 00:36:34,533 --> 00:36:37,033 the next generation of paleontologists. 607 00:36:37,033 --> 00:36:40,033 So we can choose to try and find a compromise, 608 00:36:40,033 --> 00:36:44,066 a balance, between the two extremes, 609 00:36:44,066 --> 00:36:46,066 between academic and commercial, 610 00:36:46,066 --> 00:36:48,600 or we can put these fossils to use 611 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,300 rather than just have them waste away. 612 00:36:51,300 --> 00:36:54,366 That's what I try and do is find a compromise, 613 00:36:54,366 --> 00:36:59,000 a balance, so that this stuff gets in the hands of people 614 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:01,833 who can use them for education, for teaching. 615 00:37:01,833 --> 00:37:07,233 ♪♪ 616 00:37:08,666 --> 00:37:21,500 ♪♪ 617 00:37:21,500 --> 00:37:23,933 -[ Speaking French ] 618 00:37:23,933 --> 00:37:26,200 -The question of confiscating worldwide 619 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:33,233 cultural-heritage objects from private owners comes up often. 620 00:37:33,233 --> 00:37:36,333 However, if for some unbelievable reason, 621 00:37:36,333 --> 00:37:40,733 public paleontology auctions were forbidden, 622 00:37:40,733 --> 00:37:44,100 not only would the digs continue, 623 00:37:44,100 --> 00:37:47,000 but the finds would end up on the black market 624 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,466 and be sold under the table. 625 00:37:49,466 --> 00:37:54,300 So public auctions aren't an issue for museums. 626 00:37:54,300 --> 00:37:58,633 On the contrary, they're a way of regulating a market, 627 00:37:58,633 --> 00:38:00,766 which clearly exists, 628 00:38:00,766 --> 00:38:03,133 with total transparency. 629 00:38:03,133 --> 00:38:06,233 [ Indistinct conversations ] 630 00:38:06,233 --> 00:38:12,633 ♪♪ 631 00:38:12,633 --> 00:38:14,633 -Turn it? -Yes, turn it. 632 00:38:14,633 --> 00:38:21,800 ♪♪ 633 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:23,533 This should be shown. 634 00:38:23,533 --> 00:38:25,533 This part here. 635 00:38:25,533 --> 00:38:43,866 ♪♪ 636 00:38:43,866 --> 00:38:46,266 -When Big John arrived at Hôtel Drouot, 637 00:38:46,266 --> 00:38:49,233 we had about a dozen registered clients. 638 00:38:49,233 --> 00:38:53,400 In 2020, we had three registered clients for a dinosaur. 639 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:57,266 This time, we've got a total paradigm shift. 640 00:38:57,266 --> 00:39:05,566 ♪♪ 641 00:39:05,566 --> 00:39:09,166 -We need to be sure the buyers are solvent and credible. 642 00:39:09,166 --> 00:39:11,366 That's why we required bank guarantees 643 00:39:11,366 --> 00:39:15,633 and a nonrefundable deposit of 200,000 euros 644 00:39:15,633 --> 00:39:18,300 should the buyer default. 645 00:39:18,300 --> 00:39:27,900 ♪♪ 646 00:39:27,900 --> 00:39:29,300 -It's auction day. 647 00:39:29,300 --> 00:39:32,100 In four or five hours, the bidding on Big John 648 00:39:32,100 --> 00:39:34,300 will take place with people in the room, 649 00:39:34,300 --> 00:39:37,966 on the phone, on the Internet, and he'll be sold. 650 00:39:37,966 --> 00:39:40,500 It's almost hypnotic. 651 00:39:40,500 --> 00:39:42,566 You're on automatic pilot. 652 00:39:42,566 --> 00:39:47,633 ♪♪ 653 00:39:47,633 --> 00:39:48,966 -[ Speaking French ] 654 00:39:48,966 --> 00:39:50,966 -Auctions are always a show, 655 00:39:50,966 --> 00:39:54,066 but in this case, it's a very special show 656 00:39:54,066 --> 00:39:57,066 because you have a considerable number of journalists, 657 00:39:57,066 --> 00:40:01,433 dozens of cameras, TV crews, microphones. 658 00:40:01,433 --> 00:40:02,800 Before the auction, 659 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:06,266 everyone wanted to put lapel microphones everywhere. 660 00:40:06,266 --> 00:40:08,466 There were microphones on the podium. 661 00:40:08,466 --> 00:40:13,100 ♪♪ 662 00:40:13,100 --> 00:40:16,966 -Entering the room and seeing half the available space 663 00:40:16,966 --> 00:40:18,333 taken up by journalists 664 00:40:18,333 --> 00:40:23,066 shows you the magnitude of the media buzz. 665 00:40:23,066 --> 00:40:28,400 I'd gladly trade 10 journalists for one buyer. 666 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:29,800 [ Gavel bangs ] 667 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:31,600 -[ Speaking French ] 668 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:33,233 -Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. 669 00:40:33,233 --> 00:40:38,033 Welcome to Hôtel Drouot for this rather special auction. 670 00:40:38,033 --> 00:40:43,066 We'll begin with the showstopping lot. 671 00:40:43,066 --> 00:40:46,666 -I don't know if Big John will sell, 672 00:40:46,666 --> 00:40:49,066 and I haven't the slightest idea of how much, 673 00:40:49,066 --> 00:40:52,566 if it sells, it might fetch. 674 00:40:52,566 --> 00:40:56,433 -I'd like to quickly remind you of the terms of the auction. 675 00:40:56,433 --> 00:41:01,033 -These past few years, I have seen prices that aren't prices. 676 00:41:01,033 --> 00:41:02,866 They are utterly crazy numbers. 677 00:41:02,866 --> 00:41:06,866 And I've also seen zero, nothing. 678 00:41:06,866 --> 00:41:11,133 -1.5 million, I'd be in total despair. 679 00:41:11,133 --> 00:41:14,333 2 million, I wouldn't be happy. 680 00:41:14,333 --> 00:41:17,166 3 million, I'd be disappointed. 681 00:41:17,166 --> 00:41:19,933 Disappointed for the seller and for myself, for everyone. 682 00:41:19,933 --> 00:41:21,866 -Triceratops simply doesn't have the cachet 683 00:41:21,866 --> 00:41:25,300 that a complete T. rex does. 684 00:41:25,300 --> 00:41:28,966 But, regardless, if it is the great specimen 685 00:41:28,966 --> 00:41:31,133 that it will be claimed to be, 686 00:41:31,133 --> 00:41:34,233 then there will be maybe some competitive bidding for it. 687 00:41:34,233 --> 00:41:36,966 But I really hope it doesn't sell. 688 00:41:36,966 --> 00:41:38,233 But it probably will, 689 00:41:38,233 --> 00:41:42,633 and it will probably sell for top dollar. 690 00:41:42,633 --> 00:41:46,633 -And we'll start the bidding directly at 1 million euros. 691 00:41:46,633 --> 00:41:51,133 We've obviously got a taker at 1 million euros. 692 00:41:51,133 --> 00:41:53,333 The auctioneer's job is to appraise, 693 00:41:53,333 --> 00:41:57,933 guarantee the transactions, and drive the buyers crazy. 694 00:41:57,933 --> 00:41:59,966 When the buyers in the room are going crazy, 695 00:41:59,966 --> 00:42:03,433 the auction is obviously going well. 696 00:42:03,433 --> 00:42:05,400 1,001,000. 697 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:07,400 1,200,000. 698 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:12,033 300, 400, 500, 600. 699 00:42:12,033 --> 00:42:14,300 You have to fuel their desire. 700 00:42:14,300 --> 00:42:16,466 You have to spark love, passion, 701 00:42:16,466 --> 00:42:19,133 and surely a little jealousy, too. 702 00:42:19,133 --> 00:42:20,866 2 million. 2 million with me. 703 00:42:20,866 --> 00:42:26,300 Not here. 2,200,000. 704 00:42:26,300 --> 00:42:28,766 300. 705 00:42:28,766 --> 00:42:31,366 400. 706 00:42:31,366 --> 00:42:33,333 2,600,000. 707 00:42:33,333 --> 00:42:37,366 ♪♪ 708 00:42:37,366 --> 00:42:41,566 -I'm focusing on my notes on my computer. 709 00:42:41,566 --> 00:42:43,033 When I look up at the screen, 710 00:42:43,033 --> 00:42:45,433 without realizing what was happening, 711 00:42:45,433 --> 00:42:50,633 I see we've already had 3 or 4 times the initial estimation. 712 00:42:50,633 --> 00:42:58,933 ♪♪ 713 00:42:58,933 --> 00:43:00,933 -200. 714 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:10,433 300. 715 00:43:10,433 --> 00:43:11,866 400. 716 00:43:11,866 --> 00:43:15,066 -Then they really start thinking. 717 00:43:15,066 --> 00:43:18,866 You see that people are reaching their limits. 718 00:43:18,866 --> 00:43:20,600 Someone who's ready to go fast, 719 00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:24,266 up to a certain point, with no problem whatsoever 720 00:43:24,266 --> 00:43:26,500 starts wondering if that's really how much 721 00:43:26,500 --> 00:43:28,266 they want to spend 722 00:43:28,266 --> 00:43:31,533 or if they'd like to add a little bit more. 723 00:43:31,533 --> 00:43:33,500 ♪♪ 724 00:43:33,500 --> 00:43:36,800 -4,500,000 by phone. 725 00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:40,733 Nothing else in the room? 726 00:43:40,733 --> 00:43:42,500 -600. 727 00:43:42,500 --> 00:43:44,700 4,600,000. 728 00:43:44,700 --> 00:43:48,433 -4,600,000. 729 00:43:48,433 --> 00:43:50,333 -[ Speaking Italian ] 730 00:43:50,333 --> 00:43:53,566 -At a certain point, it comes down to a battle 731 00:43:53,566 --> 00:43:56,866 between the last remaining high bidders. 732 00:43:56,866 --> 00:44:01,333 And there, the bids are few and far between. 733 00:44:02,533 --> 00:44:04,133 ♪♪ 734 00:44:04,133 --> 00:44:07,266 -No one's budging? That's a surprise. 735 00:44:07,266 --> 00:44:11,766 ♪♪ 736 00:44:11,766 --> 00:44:12,833 Here, in the room? 737 00:44:12,833 --> 00:44:14,900 4,800,000. 738 00:44:14,900 --> 00:44:23,033 ♪♪ 739 00:44:23,033 --> 00:44:24,366 -5 million. 740 00:44:24,366 --> 00:44:31,666 ♪♪ 741 00:44:31,666 --> 00:44:34,100 -[ Speaking Italian ] 742 00:44:34,100 --> 00:44:38,900 -There are two bidders left -- one phone call, 743 00:44:38,900 --> 00:44:41,300 one quick bid in the room. 744 00:44:43,500 --> 00:44:45,366 A lot of thinking. 745 00:44:45,366 --> 00:44:49,966 ♪♪ 746 00:44:49,966 --> 00:44:52,966 -We've got enough time for you. 747 00:44:52,966 --> 00:44:58,000 ♪♪ 748 00:44:58,000 --> 00:44:59,400 -5 million here. 749 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:01,033 By phone? Aurélia? 750 00:45:01,033 --> 00:45:02,833 Nothing else for us? 751 00:45:02,833 --> 00:45:05,066 5,200,000. 752 00:45:05,066 --> 00:45:08,866 ♪♪ 753 00:45:08,866 --> 00:45:11,166 Against you, Arthur. 754 00:45:11,166 --> 00:45:13,266 Objects find their buyers. 755 00:45:13,266 --> 00:45:15,200 Meaning, when you have a beautiful object, 756 00:45:15,200 --> 00:45:17,500 you have beautiful buyers. 757 00:45:17,500 --> 00:45:22,233 -We're at 5,200,000 for the moment. 758 00:45:22,233 --> 00:45:26,866 While we await news from across the Atlantic. 759 00:45:26,866 --> 00:45:28,233 What's it worth? 1 million? 2 million? 760 00:45:28,233 --> 00:45:30,766 5 million? 10 million? No one knows. 761 00:45:30,766 --> 00:45:33,100 You start the bidding, and then you get the price. 762 00:45:33,100 --> 00:45:34,966 It's the price that satisfies the desire, 763 00:45:34,966 --> 00:45:36,366 as we say in this business. 764 00:45:36,366 --> 00:45:38,500 With two seriously motivated buyers, 765 00:45:38,500 --> 00:45:41,900 the price can far exceed your expectations. 766 00:45:41,900 --> 00:45:43,966 Here in the room, 5,200,000. 767 00:45:43,966 --> 00:45:45,700 Going once, going twice... 768 00:45:45,700 --> 00:45:50,500 ♪♪ 769 00:45:50,500 --> 00:45:52,066 5,300,000. 770 00:45:52,066 --> 00:45:55,466 [ Audience exclaims, scattered laughter ] 771 00:45:55,466 --> 00:45:56,666 500,000. 772 00:45:56,666 --> 00:45:59,566 There you go. 773 00:45:59,566 --> 00:46:01,200 -5.5 million. 774 00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:03,666 So now you have to try to get the person on the phone 775 00:46:03,666 --> 00:46:04,900 to engage again. 776 00:46:04,900 --> 00:46:07,666 But you saw them hesitating at 5.4 million. 777 00:46:07,666 --> 00:46:10,133 Do you want to bid 5.6 million? 778 00:46:10,133 --> 00:46:15,300 -5,500,000 going once, going twice... 779 00:46:15,300 --> 00:46:17,600 -Really? You're okay with this? 780 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:19,666 No regrets whatsoever? 781 00:46:19,666 --> 00:46:23,000 -Are you sure? Arthur, no e-mail to send? 782 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:24,533 A text message? 783 00:46:24,533 --> 00:46:27,800 5,500,000 going once, going twice. 784 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,533 [ Gavel bangs ] Sold for 5,500,000 euros. 785 00:46:31,533 --> 00:46:36,966 [ Applause ] 786 00:46:36,966 --> 00:46:39,800 -Applause. The crowd goes wild. 787 00:46:39,800 --> 00:46:41,766 The journalists run to him. 788 00:46:41,766 --> 00:46:48,466 ♪♪ 789 00:46:48,466 --> 00:46:54,533 -You know, ethics loses again. Science just lost again. 790 00:46:54,533 --> 00:46:59,100 So it's not good for anybody, especially science. 791 00:46:59,100 --> 00:47:00,800 -For an American collector? 792 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:03,266 -It's for an American collector. That's correct. 793 00:47:03,266 --> 00:47:06,433 -A man or a woman? -He's a great person. 794 00:47:06,433 --> 00:47:08,166 [ Laughter ] 795 00:47:08,166 --> 00:47:12,233 -The maximum price for you, it was, uh... 796 00:47:12,233 --> 00:47:14,400 -Was 1 million. No, just kidding! 797 00:47:14,400 --> 00:47:16,233 [ Laughter ] 798 00:47:16,233 --> 00:47:18,900 -The name of the buyer, or...? -No, I cannot. 799 00:47:18,900 --> 00:47:20,166 I mentioned that it's being acquired 800 00:47:20,166 --> 00:47:21,666 by an American collector, 801 00:47:21,666 --> 00:47:25,133 and that individual is absolutely thrilled 802 00:47:25,133 --> 00:47:28,766 with the idea of being able to bring a piece like this 803 00:47:28,766 --> 00:47:31,233 to his personal use. 804 00:47:31,233 --> 00:47:35,733 It's a piece that we saw and initially fell in love with it. 805 00:47:35,733 --> 00:47:39,066 The history behind this and the curation of it 806 00:47:39,066 --> 00:47:41,200 is absolutely impressive. 807 00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:43,066 So to be able to be 808 00:47:43,066 --> 00:47:46,633 a part of preserving something of this nature 809 00:47:46,633 --> 00:47:49,066 that was actually found in the U.S., in South Dakota, 810 00:47:49,066 --> 00:47:51,400 is also something extremely special. 811 00:47:51,400 --> 00:48:00,966 ♪♪ 812 00:48:00,966 --> 00:48:04,000 -This was the highest result ever attained for a dinosaur 813 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:07,066 sold at auction in Europe. It's unbelievable. 814 00:48:07,066 --> 00:48:10,866 I was expecting a good result but not this good. 815 00:48:13,466 --> 00:48:19,433 Undeniably, the sale of Big John earned me a lot of money. 816 00:48:19,433 --> 00:48:22,433 We're talking about fees representing a percentage 817 00:48:22,433 --> 00:48:24,166 of the selling price. 818 00:48:24,166 --> 00:48:29,266 So the more Big John sells for, the more I make. 819 00:48:29,266 --> 00:48:33,566 But, honestly, the satisfaction lies elsewhere. 820 00:48:33,566 --> 00:48:36,933 Having the opportunity to work on Big John 821 00:48:36,933 --> 00:48:40,033 goes well beyond the financial gain. 822 00:48:40,033 --> 00:48:46,000 -The market for dinosaur fossils is undoubtedly growing. 823 00:48:46,000 --> 00:48:50,833 We sense a new trend is beginning. 824 00:48:50,833 --> 00:48:56,266 So we can imagine that the future will be rather bright. 825 00:48:56,266 --> 00:49:00,966 -It was a crazy journey, and I'll surely miss it. 826 00:49:03,366 --> 00:49:05,033 I don't know. 827 00:49:07,766 --> 00:49:27,600 ♪♪ 828 00:49:27,600 --> 00:49:29,133 -My name is Sarah Cole. 829 00:49:29,133 --> 00:49:32,166 I'm the president and CEO of the Glazer Children's Museum. 830 00:49:32,166 --> 00:49:33,833 And we are talking about 831 00:49:33,833 --> 00:49:37,266 the Big John the Triceratops exhibit. 832 00:49:37,266 --> 00:49:41,933 Today is the opening day of Big John the Triceratops. 833 00:49:41,933 --> 00:49:44,600 We just -- just wrapped up an amazing day 834 00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:48,166 with all of our guests. And, you know, 835 00:49:48,166 --> 00:49:52,733 we're just really excited about this possibility. 836 00:49:52,733 --> 00:49:54,766 [ Indistinct conversations ] 837 00:49:54,766 --> 00:49:56,833 Less than two years ago, 838 00:49:56,833 --> 00:49:59,866 we were contacted by the Pagidipati family. 839 00:49:59,866 --> 00:50:02,566 They're a family here in Tampa Bay 840 00:50:02,566 --> 00:50:05,066 with a very interesting question. 841 00:50:05,066 --> 00:50:07,666 They said, "We have a dinosaur. 842 00:50:07,666 --> 00:50:10,266 Would you be interested in exhibiting it?" 843 00:50:10,266 --> 00:50:13,166 And of course the answer was yes. 844 00:50:13,633 --> 00:50:15,533 -The Pagidipati family bought 845 00:50:15,533 --> 00:50:18,400 Big John at the auction in 2021. 846 00:50:18,400 --> 00:50:20,900 Keen to find a place where the public could visit 847 00:50:20,900 --> 00:50:22,766 the Triceratops, they reached out 848 00:50:22,766 --> 00:50:26,966 to the Glazer Children's Museum in Tampa, Florida. 849 00:50:26,966 --> 00:50:28,633 -And I immediately jumped online 850 00:50:28,633 --> 00:50:31,200 and started looking into things 851 00:50:31,200 --> 00:50:36,200 and tried to learn as much as we could about the specimen, 852 00:50:36,200 --> 00:50:39,066 about the dinosaur, you know, as much as we could 853 00:50:39,066 --> 00:50:43,833 so that we could present a really strong proposal. 854 00:50:43,833 --> 00:50:46,433 ♪♪ 855 00:50:46,433 --> 00:50:48,833 We have not done anything like this here 856 00:50:48,833 --> 00:50:50,066 at this children's museum before, 857 00:50:50,066 --> 00:50:52,266 and we got really excited about it. 858 00:50:52,266 --> 00:50:55,300 So, you know, several months of back-and-forth, 859 00:50:55,300 --> 00:50:59,100 really talking about what we could do as an organization, 860 00:50:59,100 --> 00:51:01,866 what made us different than some of the other museums 861 00:51:01,866 --> 00:51:03,433 that they might be talking to. 862 00:51:03,433 --> 00:51:08,233 And just about a year ago this time, we got the phone call 863 00:51:08,233 --> 00:51:10,100 that the family had selected us 864 00:51:10,100 --> 00:51:14,266 to be the museum that exhibited Big John. 865 00:51:14,266 --> 00:51:16,400 -I'd like to be able to share that back with the community 866 00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:20,133 and bring dinosaurs to here, because not everyone can travel. 867 00:51:20,133 --> 00:51:22,533 And now people can come to the Children's Museum 868 00:51:22,533 --> 00:51:24,733 and be able to get a full interactive, 869 00:51:24,733 --> 00:51:26,300 immersive experience 870 00:51:26,300 --> 00:51:29,400 with the largest Triceratops in the world 871 00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:31,566 by Guinness Book of World Records. 872 00:51:31,566 --> 00:51:33,433 -The Pagidipati family, when they -- 873 00:51:33,433 --> 00:51:34,900 when they purchased this dinosaur, 874 00:51:34,900 --> 00:51:36,600 when they, you know -- 875 00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:38,766 the minute that sale went through, their thoughts 876 00:51:38,766 --> 00:51:41,800 immediately went to, "How do we get this on display? 877 00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:45,233 Where do we display this? How do we get kids to see it?" 878 00:51:45,233 --> 00:51:49,066 You know, we know -- we know about this family, 879 00:51:49,066 --> 00:51:53,000 that they are very devoted to children. 880 00:51:56,400 --> 00:51:57,900 We were trying to work out how long 881 00:51:57,900 --> 00:51:59,366 we would have Big John here. 882 00:51:59,366 --> 00:52:02,333 And where we landed was a three-year initial loan. 883 00:52:02,333 --> 00:52:06,000 So we're in constant contact with the family, 884 00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:10,066 who has collaborated with us to be able to exhibit this. 885 00:52:10,066 --> 00:52:13,633 We have collaborated with scientists around the globe 886 00:52:13,633 --> 00:52:15,600 to make sure that our content is accurate 887 00:52:15,600 --> 00:52:17,266 and that we're telling the best story. 888 00:52:17,266 --> 00:52:20,733 We've collaborated with designers 889 00:52:20,733 --> 00:52:23,000 to create this great space. 890 00:52:23,000 --> 00:52:25,933 -This is his first museum appearance, 891 00:52:25,933 --> 00:52:28,500 and we are so excited to have him here 892 00:52:28,500 --> 00:52:32,066 and share everything we can about Big John with you. 893 00:52:32,066 --> 00:52:35,133 Does anyone have any questions about Big John? 894 00:52:35,133 --> 00:52:38,100 Yes. -How old is Big John? 895 00:52:38,100 --> 00:52:43,500 -Big John is about 68 million years old. 896 00:52:43,500 --> 00:52:45,600 -For the museum, there was a lot of work 897 00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:47,600 to be done before Big John's arrival. 898 00:52:47,600 --> 00:52:50,366 -Because the ground would freeze in the winter. 899 00:52:50,366 --> 00:52:52,233 -It's very different from what we normally do, 900 00:52:52,233 --> 00:52:54,233 so we gave ourselves a nice, long runway 901 00:52:54,233 --> 00:52:57,533 to make the entire experience really good. 902 00:52:57,533 --> 00:53:00,300 Originally, we had proposed opening it in the spring, 903 00:53:00,300 --> 00:53:02,766 but we also recognized, as we got into things, 904 00:53:02,766 --> 00:53:06,433 that we wanted enough time to really do it right. 905 00:53:06,433 --> 00:53:10,133 to get our staff fully, fully trained 906 00:53:10,133 --> 00:53:14,166 on how to work with a fossil, how to work with 907 00:53:14,166 --> 00:53:18,600 talking about Big John. 908 00:53:18,600 --> 00:53:21,166 We've been doing some tests, 909 00:53:21,166 --> 00:53:23,466 you know, opening in small groups, 910 00:53:23,466 --> 00:53:27,033 one school group, and the first group that we brought in 911 00:53:27,033 --> 00:53:31,266 was a group of first-graders from a local school. 912 00:53:31,266 --> 00:53:34,333 And all of us who've worked a lot of hours 913 00:53:34,333 --> 00:53:35,933 on this exhibit sat in a corner 914 00:53:35,933 --> 00:53:38,300 so that we could watch because, you know, that's the test. 915 00:53:38,300 --> 00:53:42,900 Is it going to be good? And the gasps and the "Awws" 916 00:53:42,900 --> 00:53:47,400 and the "Oh, wow! Look how big he is!" 917 00:53:47,400 --> 00:53:49,733 was just -- it made everything perfect. 918 00:53:49,733 --> 00:53:51,200 Almost everybody who walks in here, 919 00:53:51,200 --> 00:53:54,533 when they see him in that up-close moment 920 00:53:54,533 --> 00:53:57,033 and get as close as they can with him, 921 00:53:57,033 --> 00:53:58,500 there's definitely awe. 922 00:53:58,500 --> 00:54:01,666 There's -- There's smiles across faces and just gasps. 923 00:54:01,666 --> 00:54:03,133 He's -- He's amazing. 924 00:54:03,133 --> 00:54:05,533 He's a monster but a beautiful one. 925 00:54:05,533 --> 00:54:06,600 [ Chuckles ] 926 00:54:06,600 --> 00:54:08,933 ♪♪ 927 00:54:08,933 --> 00:54:11,233 As such, it is a limited supply 928 00:54:11,233 --> 00:54:14,566 of what these -- of these specimens around the world. 929 00:54:14,566 --> 00:54:16,433 There are plenty we haven't discovered yet, 930 00:54:16,433 --> 00:54:19,833 but we don't know how many we haven't discovered yet. 931 00:54:19,833 --> 00:54:25,033 So, you know, there's probably not enough beautiful specimen, 932 00:54:25,033 --> 00:54:29,900 full dinosaurs for every museum to have one. 933 00:54:29,900 --> 00:54:31,866 I want to make sure that people see this. 934 00:54:31,866 --> 00:54:35,266 I want to make sure that I'm sharing it with the community. 935 00:54:35,266 --> 00:54:39,733 And I hope that more and more private owners understand 936 00:54:39,733 --> 00:54:43,433 that joy and see that excitement and that possibility. 937 00:54:43,433 --> 00:54:58,933 ♪♪