Paleontologists have previously warned that enthusiasm for dinosaur bones by private collectors is pricing them out of reach of the world's museums.

The sale is the second-ever of a fossilised dinosaur skeleton auctioned by Sotheby ... private land in the US state of Montana. It has 79 bone elements, stands 10ft (3m) tall and is 22ft long.

After excavation is complete, the bones will be brought to New York ... The Rally investors will then split the profits from the sale, ending their dinosaur ownership but hopefully leaving them ...