The market for dinosaur fossils is booming
Economist
23-05-17 19:34
The market for dinosaur fossils sold to private collectors is booming, with at least six specimens having sold for over $6m in the past two years. Fossil prospectors, who supply this market, are making a good living selling specimens to wealthy collectors. However, some scientists argue that the market is a travesty that restricts public institutions' access to valuable specimens, noting that fossils need to be rare, unique, and complete, which are also the qualities that make them scientifically valuable. Additionally, many fossil specimens that have been sold into private hands have become lost to science and are no longer available to fossils.