Do you think he’ll ’Insaurus?’

18th February 2020

Insurance companies are used to insuring unusual items, but we were taken aback by our client, Summers Place Auctions, when a request came to provide cover for their 150 million year old Diplodocus longus dinosaur.

The dinosaur nicknamed ‘Misty’ was auctioned today (27/11) and is the first complete dinosaur to be sold at auction in Europe. The lot went up for sale at 16.25 on Wednesday and was secured by the highest bidder for £400,000.

Summers Place had put an estimate of £400,000 to £600,000 on Misty. The dinosaur appears alongside items including Dodo bones and a fossilised Ichthyosaurus from England’s Jurassic coast. The natural history themed auction is titled ‘Evolution’ and the sale takes place at Summers Place Auctions in Billingshurst, West Sussex.

Our Chairman Andy Webb said, “Since we were appointed as Summer Place Auctions’ brokers we have had the pleasure of dealing with a fascinating variety of historical items, but Misty is our most exciting one and it has created worldwide news. We have had the privilege of viewing exhibits and to listen to some interesting and entertaining anecdotes. We’re looking forward to finding out what we will be asked to insure next.”