A 67-million-year-old triceratops fossil discovered in the United States will call Australia home when it goes on display at Melbourne Museum from next year.
The highly rare specimen and is being described as the Mona Lisa of the fossil world — and at $3 million, it has a price tag to match.
However, palaeontologists say the massive exhibit will be worth every cent, inspiring generations of Victorians.
It is the most complete and finely preserved triceratops ever found, comprising hundreds of bones, including the skull and spine.
The near-complete triceratops' remains are currently being excavated from rock 1.5 metres deep on private land in Montana.
"This will be the equivalent of Melbourne getting the Mona Lisa right here," Victoria's Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson said.
The specimen is estimated to be around 6-7 metres long and more than two metres tall, and weighs more than 1000kg.
"Picture something the size of a bull African elephant," said Erich Fitzgerald, Museums Victoria’s senior curator of palaeontology.
"Put another way, we're talking about multiple Toyota Hiluxes of weight."
Its frill alone is almost 1.5 metres wide, while its skull weighs in at 261kg, and is the most intact triceratops skull ever discovered.
It's expected that scientists from across the world will be looking to visit Melbourne Museum to study the triceratops.
"This is a globally significant addition to the State Collection that’s exciting not just for Victoria but for all of Australia," said Lynley Crosswell, CEO and director of Museums Victoria.
