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Comment by JKCalhoun | Hacker News Reader

Billionaires are wild. Bones of a T-Rex and now extra-planetary artifacts. Apparently it's a bragging-rights club?

It's easy to sit on the sidelines and talk about how, if we were a billionaire, we would use our money to try to improve the planet and the people and animals on it. But I'd still like to think though that I would do exactly that.

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I think they buy these kinds of things for less philanthropic reasons and more for the same reason that the ultra wealthy invest in art: an asset that never loses and often increases in value. It’s a haven for their wealth. If you can “loan” it to professionals (e.g. a museum) who will take care of it for free, and the public can enjoy it too? It’s a solid PR move as well.

It's also wealth that can be transferred seemingly without any import/export restrictions by an Art Dealer. Because, it's art, of course.

Honestly I'd rather billionaires be connoisseurs of rare curiosities than meddle with national and global politics.

Sure. Wish there were more Gates' and Pardons though. (I have no idea if Dolly is a "billionaire" but I like what she does promoting reading in poor schools.)

They love historical artifacts too. Creating a black market for purloined treasures.

Before there was such a value placed on history and artifacts these things just got melted down (if they contained valuable metals) or thrown out.

That’s the beauty of being a multi-billionaire. You can do both. I can sit in my office with a giant chunk of mars and try to do decent shit.

Damn, I believe I just saw the bones you are referring to today from lake Washington.

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