Andy Finch wrote:

>         Our Deed of Gift form does have a line about Museum staff not
> being able to appraise donated objects, and I find myself explaining
> this policy
> many times a year to members of the community
>
> I often get asked what museum staff should tell potential donors who
> request an appraisal.  One response that seems to do the trick is that
> the Internal Revenue Service looks askance at appraisals performed by
> the donee, because the donee has a clear self-interest in inflating the
> value -- that is, the higher the value of the gift, the higher the tax
> deduction for the giver, and thus the more likely that the donor will
> actually make the proposed gift.  This often comes as a surprise to
> donors, who usually think that a museum appraisal will carry more weight
> with the tax man, rather than less.
>
> Also, of course, U.S. museums are positively forbidden from performing
> appraisals of gifts worth more than $5,000.
>
More useful advice. As a former auditor, I would have thought that the
$5,000 limit might be a tad high, but, with the rapidly rising prices of
artifacts, I can see the logic.

Harry

Harry Needham
Special Advisor - Programme Development
Canadian War Museum
330 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, Canada
K1A 0M8
Voice: (819) 776-8612  Fax (819) 776-8623
Email: [log in to unmask]