Triceratops skeleton expected to fetch $1.75 million

‘Big John’ could fetch up to $1.75 million at auction

The fossilized remains of the largest triceratops dinosaur ever discovered

is soon going under the hammer in Paris

(SOUNDBITE) (French) PALEONTOLOGIST, IACOPO BRIANO, SAYING:

"We have compared the dimensions of 'Big John's' skull to 41 other triceratops specimens, and we found out that this is the biggest one ever found in the history of paleontology."

Big John roamed the lands of modern-day South Dakota

more than 66 million years ago

Paleontologists unearthed the first piece of bone in 2014

and found 60% of his skeleton including a near-complete skull

(SOUNDBITE) (French) DROUOT AUCTION HOUSE AUCTIONEER, ALEXANDRE GIQUELLO, SAYING:

"These auctions are absolutely rare and exceptional, simply because the raw material is rare. We often find dinosaur fossils, but it is more difficult to find connected, complete or almost complete fossils."