Sale of Chris Moore’s Jurassic Fossil Collection to Abu Dhabi Sparks Debate Over UK Heritage

A privately assembled assemblage of 318 Lower Jurassic specimens from the Lower Lias of Lyme Regis, Charmouth and the broader southwest UK was purchased by the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. The collection, compiled by Dorset collector Chris Moore, includes ichthyosaurs, fish, crustaceans and material that may represent new species. British institutions – the Natural History Museum in London and Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales) – declined to buy the collection, citing insufficient funds; a source described the offered price as an eight-figure sum. The Abu Dhabi museum announced that most specimens are on public display in its Mesozoic Gallery as of November 2025.

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The Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has long been a hotspot for fossil hunting, dating back to Mary Anning in the early-19th century. Modern collectors operate under the West Dorset fossil-collecting code of conduct, which encourages offering “category 1” specimens to UK-registered museums for six months before selling elsewhere. The code is advisory, not legally binding. Under Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) rules, objects older than 50 years that are not manufactured do not require an export licence, allowing fossils to be sold internationally without statutory restriction.

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• Specimens: 318 fossils, spanning marine reptiles and invertebrates.

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• Sale price: Described as an eight-figure sum (exact figure not disclosed).

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• Comparative sales: “Stan the T-rex” fetched $31.8 million (£23.6 million) in 2020; the T-rex skeleton “Gus” sold for $50.1 million at Sotheby’s in July 2024.

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• Market trend: Small ammonites sell for a few pounds, while larger, prepared specimens command several hundred pounds.

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A spokesperson for the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi emphasized the educational value of displaying the collection, noting that the Lower Jurassic rocks of the UK preserve some of the best marine-life examples from a period when the region lay near the latitude of present-day North Africa. The DCMS clarified that no specific export licence is required for fossils, as they fall outside cultural-property regulations. The Natural History Museum in London reiterated that preparation of fossils for exhibition demands extensive mechanical and chemical work, which only skilled collectors such as Moore can provide.

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Dr Erin Maxwell, Early Jurassic marine-vertebrate specialist at the State Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart, called the transaction a “blow” to the nation’s natural heritage and advocated for a state right of first refusal at cost before export. Phil Davidson, a palaeontologist at Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, argued that the sale represents a loss to the UK and suggested that state intervention could have mitigated the outcome.

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Local fossil guide Martin Curtis expressed disappointment, saying “it’s always sad when things like that go abroad.” He noted that a thriving market drives some collectors to seek financial returns, while many hunt primarily for personal enjoyment.

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• Legal framework: No export licence is required, yet the voluntary six-month offer rule is not enforceable, leaving a gap in statutory protection for nationally significant fossils.

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• Funding constraints: Both the Natural History Museum and Museum Wales cited lack of money, but the exact budgetary shortfalls and potential alternative financing remain undocumented.

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