Some of the most interesting science, technology and history stories of 2024 could be found at international auctions. Regardless of the final winning bid, each of the items and artifacts below are impressive in their own right. From AI-drawn artwork to lumps of coal, these auction items feature a wide range of artifacts from the past as well as items from the future.
Stegosaurus Apex sold for $45 million
If nearly $45 million for a dinosaur skeleton sounds like a lot, you’re not alone. Despite being touted as one of the “finest” known specimens, the Stegosaurus, named “Apex,” was sold quickly over the summer with a final sale price of more than 10 times Sotheby’s original estimate. caused controversy. Billionaire Ken Griffiths has said he bought Apex to ensure the dinosaur remains in America, but critics say these prices inflate the market and deprive educational institutions of valuable added value. claims that it is possible. Meanwhile, at least one person paleontologists claimed Many in the field laughed at the exorbitant price paid for such a relatively common dinosaur.
Titanic from coal goes up for auction for more than double its estimated value
on the other hand, titanic It has been slowly declining due to the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic ocean floor, and artifacts recovered during and after the historic tragedy were put up for auction in October. Some of those items included lumps of coal that were originally intended to be used to fuel the luxury liner’s boilers. The coal sold for $1,896, well above the $780 estimate. The same auction also included a number of other historic shipwreck artifacts, including Henry VIII’s ship’s rope and an SS World War II-era pistol. Ostend.
“AI God” made history as the first auction of machine-made paintings
Ai-Da is an ongoing experimental project centered around an artificially intelligent guided robot of the same name tasked with creating unique works of art. One of them, a portrait of Alan Turing called “AI God,” made history in November when it went up for auction as the first painting ever made by a machine. An accompanying statement issued by Ai-Da’s generative language model aimed to honor Turing’s legacy while citing the famous transhumanist feminist manifesto as a partial inspiration.
Extremely rare dime sold for $506,250
A dime isn’t always worth a dime. It could be worth $500,000 to the right buyer. How could such a small coin minted in 1975 sell for 5 million times its original value? A subtle error shared only by other penny coins known to exist . The design of U.S. coins always includes one of four letters to indicate where they were minted: D for Denver, W for West Point, P for Philadelphia, or S for San Francisco. But if, for example, an uncirculated San Francisco “proof” dime were accidentally created without an S and then stored in a bank vault for 40 years, its value would obviously increase significantly.
Steve Jobs’ Apple I desktop sold at auction for nearly $1 million
A standard base model iMac currently sells for $1,299, but in September one of Apple’s first desktop computers sold for $945,000. Apart from its historical significance, this particular Apple I belonged to the company’s co-founder Steve Jobs. If that wasn’t enough, the existing Apple I is hard to find, as it essentially ended up being a limited production prototype. Jobs and his collaborator Steve Wozniak built just 200 units before moving on to develop the groundbreaking Apple II.
Colonial-era 3p coin sold for $2.5 million
One of this year’s most expensive U.S. coin auctions centered on coins dating back more than 100 years to the American Revolutionary War. Minted in 1652, the Massachusetts 3 pence is a nickel-sized coin that weighs just 1.1 grams and contains just $1.03 worth of silver on today’s market. This historic currency was minted just weeks before the British colonial mint officially opened in Boston, and is the only known example found outside of a museum.
Three battered Lamborghini Miuras found in junkyard sold for millions of dollars
Vintage cars may not need to be in new condition to fetch big bucks. In some cases, they can look like they came straight out of a junkyard. This was the case for three extremely rare and beat-up Lamborghini Miuras, long rumored to exist only among collectors. The Miura was the first supercar developed by Lamborghini and was powered by a 4.0-liter V12 engine with 350 horsepower. The 1967, 1968 and 1969 models sold by Sotheby’s earlier this year were auctioned for a total of $2.9 million and are expected to be restored to their former glory.
Government supercomputer purchased for $480,085
It’s unclear who will put the 26,000-pound supercomputer once owned by the U.S. government on the market, but earlier this year someone tried to pony up $480,085 for it. Cheyenne, formerly used by the National Center for Atmospheric Research and named after the capital city where it is located, is nearly 10 years old, but remained in operation a full two years longer than expected. Therefore, the person who bought it will have to deal with water cooling system leaks after a professional moving company relocates it to the new home.
Double Eagle California Gold Rush Coin Sold at Auction for $1.44 Million
Stack’s Bowers Gallery
Only 35 to 65 of the historic 1870 Carson City (CC) Double Eagle $20 gold coins remain in existence. The one that sold for $1.44 million is not in perfect new condition, but it is probably the best known. The $20 coin was not originally planned to be minted, but the CC Double Eagle was approved by Congress following the influx of precious metals from the California Gold Rush.
Albert Einstein’s love letter to his first wife sells for more than $555,000
The 43 handwritten letters addressed to Mileva Maric, Einstein’s first wife and potential physics collaborator, actually exceeded the auction’s original low estimate of $876,000 by $300,000. It was down more than a dollar. But that doesn’t diminish their historical significance or emotional poignancy. While historians and physicists understandably focus primarily on Einstein’s revolutionary ideas, artifacts such as these personal messages provide a valuable insight into some of the most brilliant minds in the modern world. Important information.
Win the Holidays with PopSci’s Gift Guide
