🔥 Trending Tasmanian Tiger Head Fetches High Price at Auction

A taxidermied head, initially believed to be a stuffed fox and purchased for a mere £50 at an antiques market, was recently identified as the head of an extinct Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) and subsequently sold for a significant sum at auction ⁴⁵⁸. This discovery has been described as "one of a kind" and "priceless" due to its rarity ⁴⁵.

The Discovery and Identification

The item was originally acquired by a collector for £50, who believed it to be a Victorian fox head ⁴⁸. However, experts later identified it as the head of a thylacine, a carnivorous marsupial native to New Guinea, Australia, and Tasmania, which is now extinct ²⁴. This misidentification led to the item being listed with a reserve price as low as £28 or £30-£50, before its true nature was revealed ³⁷.

The Auction and Sale

An unexpected bidding war erupted at the Bristol auction house, leading to the thylacine head being sold for £60,000 ³. Other sources report the final sale price as £62,000 ¹⁶⁷. The successful bidder was British taxidermy enthusiast James Cranfield ⁷. The item is considered incredibly rare, with some believing it to be the only one of its kind in existence ⁴⁶.

Significance of the Find

The thylacine, often referred to as the Tasmanian tiger, was a unique animal with dog-like traits ². Its extinction makes any surviving remains, especially a well-preserved head, incredibly valuable to collectors and researchers. This particular discovery has been dubbed a "holy grail" by some due to its unexpected identification and rarity ¹.