Gus sold for $50.1M

[markie]

I personally believe important fossils should belong to the state.... although understanding there is much time and expense that goes into the findings


".....Prior to auction, paleontologists worried that such sales could damage their studies by placing dinosaur skeletons out of the reach of academic institutions.

“The current trend towards dinosaur fossils being marketed and sold like rare artworks at vast prices by auction houses is very concerning, as is the idea of buying dinosaur fossils as a status symbol or a commodity,” Professor Richard Butler, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Birmingham, told the Guardian....."

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/14/t-rex-skeleton-auction-record-price

[shenmue]

1. Yes they should

Send it to a university. Have them study it.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. I do believe that we, as supporters of the Arts, fossils (and all related to these fields) should belong to the people

too, as well as Institutions too. They don't necessarily have to place these artifacts out of the price range of schools etc., they could lend or loan such artifacts to interested institutions (as long as they insure and / or protect the fossils and not damage them during their studies of such artifacts). Have some 'need to know' federal law that would mandate such mandatory sharing as well as insurance coverage, etc. But it seems like all fossils, all historic items such as older Indian artifacts/tools/etc., are or already have been pushed out of the everyday open markets and that only a few very stratified markets remain open to the general public still, at reasonable costs, should someone wish to get into collecting these artifacts.

Decent artifacts would still cost a bit, after all, if you've been in the field long enough, for Indian artifacts and/or decent fossils, rock samples or minerals, the somewhat decent ones and on up are pricey indeed.

[lastlib]

3. Well, here's the thinking (as I see it):

If we can't find the fossils, we can't PROVE Jesus didn't ride in on a dinosaur. Their problem is solved.