Samantha the triceratops: star of the show in Beverly Hills

A skull of a baby triceratops named Samantha starred as top lot in a Beverly Hills auction on May 6

The skull of a baby triceratops named Samantha starred in an auction of natural history in Beverly Hills on Sunday (May 6).

Samantha the triceratops' skull

One of the last surviving species of dinosaur, the triceratops has also become one of the most distinctive, thanks to its unique three-horned skull. Due to their comparatively late existence, triceratops skeletons are usually found in greater condition than those from earlier periods.

This example was excavated in 2011 from a site in Montana and is said to be excellently preserved and in fine condition. Standing at a colossal 29 inches high, Samantha's skull was sold for $30,000 at the sale.

The auction also offered the chance to own the complete skeleton of a smaller member of Samantha's family. The 39 inch skeleton of a psittacosaurus, the most primitive member of the Ceratopsia species, sold for $6,000.

Also in the sale was a mysterious, and massive, narwhal tusk. The spiralled horn, whose function remains unclear to scientists, measured over 80 inches and sold for $13,000.

Fragments from the Tissint meteorite fall provided the highlight for space collectors, with one of the smaller chunks, weighing just 12.9g, selling for $8,000.

The Tissint is regarded as the most important meteorite fall observed in the last 100 years, offering scientists and collectors a rare insight into the surface of its planet of origin, Mars. You can read more on the important fall here.

PFC Auctions, our sister company, is offering a superb Neil Armstrong signed USA flag to space collectors in its upcoming auction. You can find more space collecting news from Paul Fraser Collectibles here.

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Images: I. M. Chait