[NHCOLL-L:2482] RE: valuation of a slide collection

[McLaren, Suzanne]

It is my understanding, under laws governing non-profits and tax deductible donations, that your institution is prohibited from providing an appraisal.  It is the donor's responsibility to get that information.  Your people merely sign the IRS form 8283 indicating that you received the donation as detailed by the donor and his/her appraiser.  This should not be something that the donor holds against your institution because it is built into the law and she will run into it wherever she makes her donations.  

Sue

Suzanne B. McLaren, Collection Manager
Section of Mammals
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Edward O'Neil Research Center
5800 Baum Blvd
Pittsburgh PA 15206-3706
USA
Telephone: 412-665-2615
FAX: 412-665-2751 

http://www.carnegiemnh.org/mammals/index.html 

The views, opinions and judgments expressed in this message are solely those of the author.  The message contents have not been reviewed or approved by the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]On Behalf Of Karl Hutterer
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 11:27 PM
To: NHCOLL-L (E-mail)
Cc: Caroline Grange
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:2480] RE: valuation of a slide collection


About a year ago, we received a donation of more than 10,000
photographic slides as well as travel diaries from the widow of a man
who had spent his life traveling to exotic places to make natural
history collections, principally of birds but also of a diversity of
other things. He traveled, from the 30s through the 60s, in places like
Ethiopia, Afghanistan, India, Madagascar, Ecuador, and Mexico. The bird
collection was donated to us three years ago and is quite valuable.

The widow is convinced that the slide collection is highly valuable as
well and would like to take a tax deduction for it. We have contacted a
variety of appraisers and experts and have been told, not surprisingly,
that the collection represents little monetary value other than the hard
cost of the film and of creating the slides. The donor is very unhappy
about this, and our Development Director would like to accommodate her
as much as possible, because she has made arrangements for other
donations that would, in fact be of great value to us.

I am looking for anyone who might have helpful suggestions about how the
value of this slide collection might be (legitimately) increased.

Karl L. Hutterer
Executive Director
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol Rd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 682-4711, ext. 101 phone
(805) 569-3170 fax