To have and to hold, not much more though

["Beyer, Eric" <Eric.Beyer@cognos.com>]

There seems to be some discussion over the on-line sale of fossils  
to private owners.  Some are opposed to this idea because it can make 
items inaccessible to the scientific community, but how accessible are 
the items that have been collected to date??

I reflect on my model aircraft hobby and wonder, is it more important to me
to collect kits just to have them, or build them in order to display them?
Perhaps the 'collecting' has always outpaced the 'displaying'.

Many museums that have huge storage facilities that show off discoveries
from 
the early 1900's or earlier, the only issue is that they are still in field 
jackets!

How many 'discoveries' are waiting to be re-discovered?
Will there ever be a push to uncover these items and bring them to light??

Selfish Question:
Will talented 'amateurs' be able to lessen the ever widening gap?