[NHCOLL-L:3996] Re: placing a value on a donated specimen

[Lloyd, Karen]

Anita is correct. Museums should not and do not provide a valuation in any circumstances.  That falls to the donor.  You may suggest appraisers, but make sure you give more than one so that the donor can have a choice.

Good Luck, Karen

Karen J. Lloyd
Collections Assistant
The Wildlife Experience
10035 South Peoria St. Parker, CO  80134
720.488.3302
720.488.3393 FAX 
klloyd at twexp.org
thewildlifeexperience.org
 


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of chole001 at umn.edu
Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2008 5:42 PM
To: wehtjew at missouri.edu
Cc: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:3995] Re: placing a value on a donated specimen

Technically (as per museum ethics) you should not provide a valuation at 
all. The person needs to get thier own outside assessment - though you can 
suggest someone - I think that's part of the IRS code but not certain on 
that. I suppose you could contact someone at the Smithsonian for a ballpark 
figure or even to suggest an evaluator.

Anita
__________
Anita F. Cholewa, Ph.D.
Curator of the UM Herbarium
Bell Museum of Natural History
University of Minnesota
1445 Gortner Ave
St Paul MN 5108-1095



On Oct 12 2008, Wehtje, Walter G. wrote:

> Our collection was just given a mounted Heath Hen from a private 
> individual. It's in the Victorian style, hanging by a leg on against a 
> wooden background with a glass dome covering it. It's meant to be hung on 
> a wall and is in very good condition. The person would like to claim a 
> tax deduction for this gift, but I haven't a clue as to what fair market 
> value for such an item might be. Does anyone have an idea what the value 
> may be, or where I might find someone willing to put a price on it?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Walter Wehtje
>
>