Ethics

Two years ago an enquirer came to our museum with some coins that he wanted us to value. Although we had a fair idea of what they were worth, we explained that it was the policy of our museum not to give valuations. We therefore limited the information we gave to providing a full identification of his coins.

At the time the enquirer seemed happy enough with this information but has recently made a formal complaint about what he sees as deceit on our part. Last month he took the coins to a dealer, had them valued at around £200 and then sold them.

He claims that our reluctance to value the coins led him to believe that they were valueless and thereby attempted to deprive him of the opportunity to profit from a sale at a time when he badly needed the money. Although we feel we have acted ethically, have we been negligent in our procedures for such a misunderstanding to occur?


It's always a healthy response to situations like this to review your procedures. Having said that, don't be too hard on yourselves: you provided a professional level of service that was ethically impeccable and consistent with your museum's policies. It's not always possible or even desirable to legislate for every awkward customer!

Whilst museums shouldn't provide valuations, it is perfectly acceptable to refer enquirers to published lists of dealers - say in the local Yellow Pages - or to published sources that might help the enquirer to make a rough estimate of how much an item is worth.

To this end, you might consider producing an information sheet that enquirers can take away with them, explaining some of the principles and caveats of valuation, why the museum doesn't provide valuations and where the enquirer might turn for assistance in getting a valuation.

Recommending particular dealers by name should be avoided, as this could compromise the integrity of the museum. Remember always to make a full disclaimer in relation to any valuation that the enquirer may subsequently obtain. 'Seller beware' is probably the wisest counsel that a museum can give to an enquirer unversed in the ways of the market!