OK Acrocanthosaurus

[Gothgrrl@aol.com]

JManasco@aol.com wrote:

>In the fall of 1991, I visited BHI and viewed Sue in the >makeshift prep
lab.  This was a few months before the FBI >came knocking.  While being
awe-struck by Sue, I was more >moved by the presence of a beautiful
Acrocanthosaurus skull >which was threatened by pyrite disease.  I'm
originally from >Oklahoma and probably felt a little proprietary.  I keep
>wondering what's come of  the acro and the many like it that >are slipping
out the backdoor while Sue claims everyone's >attention. 

Geological Enterprises in Ardmore, OK, is offering mounted and unmounted
casts of the BHI Acrocanthosaurus for sale, as well as handling the sale of
the actual skeleton itself.  A mounted cast is featured on the cover of GE's
BULLETIN #49 (January '97). Here's the text from the catalog:

"We can now furnish mounted casts of this magnificent dinosaur at $160,000,
delivered to any location in the continental US. Crating is extra. Mounted
casts will be delivered and set up in your location and this is included in
the price.

"The actual fossil specimen is for sale. This will be furnished with a
complete mounted cast. We feel the actual specimen should be kept for study
and not mounted, but this can be done in such a way any bone can be removed
for study, if the buyer requests. Cost of mounting the actual bone will be
extra. Further information is available for seriously interested parties."

They also offer inflated and plaque casts of the skull alone.

A pity Steven Speilberg didn't use Acrocanthosaurus in JURASSIC PARK or LOST
WORLD, as that *might* have saved this specimen from the marketplace. It
would be interesting to see if, in the wake of the "Sue" bid, a second effort
could be mobilised to save it from BHI/GE. I suspect such a campaign would
probably be unsuccessful.

Caitlin R. Kiernan