Should Fossils Be for Sale?

How did the 80-foot-long dinosaur get to the mall? That might sound like the start of a joke, but it really happened. Since 2014, a skeleton of a dinosaur called a Diplodocus has been on display in a shopping mall in Dubai. That’s the biggest city in the United Arab Emirates, a country in Asia. The fossil had been sold at an auction before making its way to the mall.

Dinosaur fossils are often sold at auctions, where the person who bids the most money wins. Last October, a collector paid $7.7 million for the biggest Triceratops skeleton ever found. In May of this year, the remains of a dinosaur called a Deinonychus sold for $12.4 million. Some dinosaur eggs have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

For some collectors, the chance to own a rare dinosaur fossil is worth the huge price tag. Many buyers display their prehistoric purchases in their offices or homes. 

But some paleontologists say fossils should never be sold to collectors. They think fossils belong in museums, where researchers can study them.

How did the 80-foot-long dinosaur get to the mall? That might sound like the start of a joke. But it really happened. Since 2014, a skeleton of a dinosaur called a Diplodocus has been on display in a shopping mall in Dubai. That’s the biggest city in the United Arab Emirates, a country in Asia. The fossil had been sold at an auction before making its way to the mall.

Dinosaur fossils are often sold at auctions. At auctions, the person who bids the most money wins. Last October, a collector paid $7.7 million for a Triceratops skeleton. It was the biggest skeleton of that dinosaur ever found. In May of this year, the remains of a dinosaur called a Deinonychus sold for $12.4 million. Some dinosaur eggs have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

For some collectors, the chance to own a dinosaur fossil is worth the huge price. Many buyers display their prehistoric purchases. They put them in their offices or homes. 

But some paleontologists say fossils should never be sold to collectors. They think fossils belong in museums. There, researchers can study them.

Many scientists are opposed to auctioning off fossils to the highest bidder. Sometimes, museums are able to raise enough money to buy fossils at auctions. But more often, museums can’t compete with wealthy buyers. 

Fossils are important to paleontologists because they are the only direct evidence we have about prehistoric life on Earth. And the number of fossils available for research is limited. When collectors outbid museums, scientists often don’t get the opportunity to study the fossils. 

Many scientists are opposed to auctioning off fossils to the highest bidder. Sometimes, museums raise enough money to buy fossils at auctions. But more often, museums can’t compete with wealthy buyers.     

Fossils are important to paleontologists. They are the only direct evidence we have about prehistoric life on Earth. And the number of fossils available for research is limited. When collectors outbid museums, scientists often don’t get the opportunity to study the fossils. 

Also, for most people, visiting a museum is their only chance to see dinosaur remains in person. But they can’t do that when fossils end up in a collector’s home. 

“These dinosaur fossils contain important information,” says Thomas Carr, a paleontologist at Carthage College in Wisconsin. “Once we lose a fossil to a private collector, it’s like losing a part of our memory permanently. It never comes back.”

Others say the U.S. should follow the example of places like Alberta, Canada, which has some of the strictest fossil protection laws in the world. Only professional paleontologists are permitted to dig up fossils there.

Also, for most people, visiting a museum is their only chance to see dinosaur remains in person. But they can’t do that when fossils end up in a collector’s home. 

“These dinosaur fossils contain important information,” says Thomas Carr. He’s a paleontologist at Carthage College in Wisconsin. “Once we lose a fossil to a private collector, it’s like losing a part of our memory permanently. It never comes back.”

Others say the U.S. should follow the example of places like Alberta, Canada. It has some of the strictest fossil protection laws in the world. Only professional paleontologists are permitted to dig up fossils there.

Many people argue that without fossil hunters, most rare dinosaur bones and skeletons would never be excavated, or dug up. That’s because many museums and universities don’t have the funding needed to search for dinosaur fossils. 

“I’m finding things that probably wouldn’t have been found any other way,” says Craig Pfister. He owns Great Plains Paleontology, a fossil-finding company. “If a fossil is never found and just erodes, everyone loses.”

Many people argue that fossil hunters do important work. Without them, most rare dinosaur bones and skeletons would never be excavated. That means dug up. Many museums and universities don’t have the funding needed to search for dinosaur fossils.  

Craig Pfister owns Great Plains Paleontology. It is a fossil-finding company. 

“I’m finding things that probably wouldn’t have been found any other way,” he says. “If a fossil is never found and just erodes, everyone loses.”

Others point out that, according to U.S. law, fossils found on private property belong to whoever owns the land. Landowners have the right to allow companies to dig for fossils on their property. So why shouldn’t these companies then be allowed to sell the fossils to make money for themselves and the landowners? 

Plus, Pfister says, fossils sold to private buyers often end up in the hands of researchers anyway. 

“My experience is that most people donate them to museums,” he explains.

For example, after winning an auction for the skeleton of a Triceratops nicknamed Cliff in 2008, a collector soon donated it to the Museum of Science in Boston. It’s still on display at the museum today.

Also, according to U.S. law, fossils found on private property belong to whoever owns the land. Landowners have the right to allow companies to dig for fossils on their property. Some people ask, why shouldn’t these companies then be allowed to sell the fossils? That way, they can make money for themselves and the landowners.

Plus, Pfister says, fossils sold to private buyers often end up in the hands of researchers anyway. 

“My experience is that most people donate them to museums,” he explains.

For example, a collector won an auction for the skeleton of a Triceratops nicknamed Cliff in 2008. Soon after, the buyer donated Cliff to the Museum of Science in Boston. It’s still on display at the museum today.