Museum of Northern Arizona: Collections Appraisals

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Museum Policy and Information
Regarding Appraisals

Staff members of the Museum may examine artifacts brought to the Museum by the public and give opinions on their age, provenience, and function. However, following written museum policy, staff members do not authenticate, appraise or otherwise evaluate any object for insurance, donation, commercial, or for other purposes.
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Choosing an Appraiser

In cases involving potential gifts to the Museum, regulations of the Internal Revenue Service require that a third disinterested party perform appraisals of tax-deductible gifts to non-profit institutions, such as the Museum. Currently, there is no legal certification of personal property appraisers and no government-required testing for the profession. There are, however, codified standards. To locate an appraiser or obtain additional information can be obtained from the following associations by phone or at their listed web site:

Appraisers Association of America                  212-889-5404 or www.appraisersassoc.org

American Society of Appraisers                       800-272-8258 or www.appraisers.org

International Society of Appraisers                 206-241-0359 or   www.isa-appraisers.org

Matters that you should consider and request include the following:   expertise, credentials, written contract, signed statement of disinterest, appraisal documentation, type of value (fair market, replacement), and whether the appraiser has liability insurance.

Special note: When contracting for appraisal services with a dealer, be aware that the dealer might be interested in purchasing the item or items at or below wholesale cost.

With respect to the appraisal fee, most appraisers charge rates based on hourly fees. For federal tax purposes, it is illegal for the appraisal fee to be based on a percentage of the overall value of the item or items. A feasibility study may be requested of the appraiser to determine whether an appraisal is warranted. In the case of charitable contributions, the cost of an appraisal might
be tax-deductible. To find out specific requirement for claims, you should contact your local IRS office or your tax accountant.

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