Flavio Bacchia, the original buyer of Triceratops skeleton “Big John,” discusses his deliberations around the initial purchase. And on the other side, commercial paleontologist Walter Stein reflects on his conflicted feelings about selling to a private buyer, but why he ultimately chose to sell.
TRANSCRIPT
We needed a big dinosaur to continue the relationship we had started with the international auction houses who turn to us each year for curiosities or specimens for their natural history auctions.
They expect something from us and ask us, "What have you got?
What have you got?"
♪♪ There was a Triceratops called "Big John."
It was dug up in 2015.
There was nothing else.
Nothing.
A specimen that's been available for two years raises questions.
Why hasn't it been sold?
I even thought there might be a problem somewhere, that something was wrong with it.
-We discussed it a lot, and after a while, Flavio wanted to go out on a limb and try his luck.
"Fine.
I'll buy Big John."
He clearly sensed there was something there.
He felt those remains had potential.
-I requested information and prices.
It was clear there was no negotiation, no competition, because, after a while, we simply came to an agreement.
-You know, we weren't born with silver spoons in our mouth.
We don't have a six-figure income.
So my wife and I discussed it, and we -- we came to the conclusion that it's just a Triceratops.
It's one of 350 other specimens.
We have other Triceratopses on the shelf, and we have a buyer.
It's not the buyer I wanted.
I was hoping for a museum.
But it's a little hard to, uh -- to sell to a museum when you can't get them on the phone.
I wish it had stayed here.
I was sad when it left.
So I'll find another one.
