[NHCOLL-L:2468] Re: Herbarium insurance estimation

[Steve Sullivan]

In an attempt to come up with some kind of value for non-commercially
valuable specimens, what are the thoughts on a "replacement" value?

>From a scientific perspective I cannot replace a mosquito collected in 1857
but, were I to try to collect again at or near the specimen's locality,
there would be associated costs.  Time and materials necessary to receive
permits, collect, and prepare the replacement specimens could be estimated
and divided by units in the collection.  Specimens collected near the
institution might then cost less than specimens collected further afield.
Specimens that could be collected together (perhaps the entire mosquito
collection could be "replaced" in one night) would cost less per unit than
specimens that require more effort (replacement of just one falcon egg might
take several day's work).

Further, museum dioramas are often insurable.  It would seem that
replacement value for a scientific specimen could be based on its display
value or the fraction of the cost that would be incurred to replace that
component of the damaged diorama.

I can see that this might not be universally applicable but, can some kind
of formula be worked out to assign a realistic "replacement" value to each
specimen?

--Steve

Steven M. Sullivan
Collections Manager
Chicago Academy of Sciences
Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N. Cannon Drive
Chicago IL 60614
p 773-755-5100x2042
f 773-755-5199
www.naturemuseum.org