Actual Dinosaurs For Sale in New York
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(Bonhams)
An auction is being held in New York on Thursday, selling more than 400 dinosaur parts and artifact from the Ice Age.
Up for grabs are a Woolly Rhinoceros skeleton, a Tyrannosaurus Rex tooth -- and a stegodon skull. But don't be tempted to go for the impulse buy -- these items don't come cheap, with experts warning a buyer could expect to pay anything up to and even over $200,000.
There are some cheaper items available in the Bonhams auction.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For instance, a large stump of petrified wood sounds like a snip at an estimated price of less than $1,440, while a gymnosperm -- a large Brazilian plant -- might burn only a small hole in the pocket, with an estimate of around £6,500.
The sale, Bonhams told Sky News Online, is an important one for buyers wanting to own a personal piece of natural history.
"In Britain we have an annual Gentleman's Library Sale which does offer fossils but not on this scale," a spokesman said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We did sell a huge bear skeleton quite recently, but that's quite unusual."
So who buys these items?
"Of course, the major collections will attract museums but there will be quirky collectors too.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"For instance, the bear would have made a great display in a hall for someone with the space to accommodate it."
In the US, the spokesman explained, people often set up their own private displays so there is a demand for items which the average person might not look twice at.
"Like everything, a successful sale will depend on the size and the scarcity of the object. Museums have an educational remit and they can usually afford to buy something they think is worthwhile.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"But the small collector will not be left out - not everything is enormous and there are a lot of people out there who are very keen to own these items."