Fossil trade

Samson, a Tyrannosaurus rex specimen that was put up for auction on eBay in 2000 with an asking price of over USD 8 million^[1]

Fossil trading is the practice of buying and selling fossils. This is many times done illegally with stolen fossils, and many important scientific specimens are lost each year.^[2][3][4][5] Much focus has been put on the illegal fossil dealing in China, where many specimens have been stolen.^[6]

The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, an international association of professional and amateur vertebrate paleontologists, believes that scientifically important fossils—especially but not exclusively those found on public lands—should be held in perpetuity in the public trust, preferably in a museum or research institution, where they can benefit the scientific community as a whole as well as future generations.^[7] In the United States, Paleontological Resources Preservation Act. S. 546 and H. R. 2416 were introduced in the US Congress with SVP's full support.

Mary Anning, a famous collector and seller of fossils

Many commercial fossil collectors and dealers believe that such policies are a breach of their rights. The argument has also been put forth that there are too few professional paleontologists to collect and preserve fossils currently exposed to the elements, and that it is therefore essential that private citizens be allowed to collect them for the sake of their preservation. This argument, while persuasive, neglects the facts that 1) private citizens and amateur (not for profit) collectors can and do participate frequently in the permitted recovery and preservation of significant vertebrate fossils, and 2) preservation of significant fossils does not require or mandate sale of those fossils.^[8]

According to the ethics by-law of SVP, "The barter, sale, or purchase of scientifically significant vertebrate fossils is not condoned, unless it brings them into or keeps them within a public trust."^[9]

References

1. ^ Mason, Betsy (2009-12-10). "T. Rex Skeleton Can Finally Be Ogled by the Public". Wired. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/samson-goes-to-omsi/. Retrieved 22 October 2010. 
2. ^ Milmo, Cahal (2009-11-25). "Fossil theft: One of our dinosaurs is missing". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/fossil-theft-one-of-our-dinosaurs-is-missing-1826931.html. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
3. ^ Simons, Lewis. "Fossil Wars". National Geographic. The National Geographic Society. http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/fossil-wars.html. 
4. ^ Willis, Paul; Clark, Tim; Dennis, Carina (18 April 2002). "Fossil Trade". Catalyst. http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s532586.htm. 
5. ^ Farrar, Steve (5 November 1999). "Cretaceous crimes that fuel the fossil trade". Times Higher Education. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=148688&sectioncode=26. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
6. ^ http://www.globaltimes.cn/www/english/language/bilingual/2009-11/483395.html^{[dead link]}
7. ^ http://vertpaleo.org/society/polstatvertfossilsale.cfm^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Scott, E. (2005). "Is Selling Vertebrate Fossils Bad For Science?". PALAIOS 20 (6): 515–517. doi:10.2110/palo.2005.S06. 
9. ^ "Statement regarding the sale of vertebrate fossils online". The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. http://www.vertpaleo.org/Content/NavigationMenu/TheSociety/StatementsandGuidelines/OntheSaleofVertebrateFossils/default.htm. Retrieved 2 November 2011.