Real Human Skeleton - Where to sell?

[nursingthepennies]

From my medical days (from way back), I have a genuine real human skeleton which I would like to sell.
I've found an online shop in the usa which sells them for abt £2,000 and there are a few human bones for medical study currently on ebay which i'll keep an eye on for price valuation. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts? I've just realized setting a reserve price on ebay is non-refundable at 2% so do you think maybe my best bet is an auction house rather than ebay? all advice welcome!

[suited-aces]

Reserving this spot for whenever I think of a suitable punchline...

[cyberbob]

You cant sell Human bones on ebay.

Originally Posted by ebay

Humans, the human body or any human body parts may not be listed on eBay. Examples of prohibited items include, but are not limited to: organs, bone, blood, waste, sperm, and eggs.

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/remains.html

I gave a skull I had for my Osteology exams to a local medical school.

[soolin]

Try the big medical schools, the new intake start around now so you may get some takers.

[hermum]

http://completed.shop.ebay.co.uk/i.h...c0.m283&_rdc=1
completed listings have a few, not sure if they are real or not.
Today & tomorrow is free listing so start it on auction at the lowest price you'll accept for it, all the new students are just starting, so it could be a good time to sell.
How would you post it?

[soolin]

Originally Posted by hermum

http://completed.shop.ebay.co.uk/i.h...c0.m283&_rdc=1
completed listings have a few, not sure if they are real or not.
Today & tomorrow is free listing so start it on auction at the lowest price you'll accept for it, all the new students are just starting, so it could be a good time to sell.
How would you post it?

As per Cyberbob's post, this cannot be sold on ebay:

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/remains.html

[hermum]

Yes I saw that after I'd posted, I was obviously looking on the completed listings.
Do you know then if USA has different rules as there's been several real skulls sold on the American site.

[zenseeker]

I don't think there are different rules, possible that some choose to ignore them and manage to get away with it.

[mishkanorman]

ah, thats so sad! would have thought a nice burial might be better !!

[Crowqueen]

Some people used to donate their bodies to medical science, so this is where they end up.

Still creepy to be buying and selling them, but having benefited enormously from the good old NHS this last year, I guess it's either that or have few people understanding the human body, and at least they don't grave-rob now, at least not in this country.

[PopeSock]

Does it have perfect teeth?

[StaffsSW]

Why sell it? The practical joke possibilities are almost endless!!

[Giggles_Fairy]

Didnt they have a task on The Apprentice where they had to sell various items inc. a human skeleton? If I remember rightly they ended up going into a pub near a huge medical school and asked around and solg it for £50 to a man in there! However they did say in the voiceover it was worth alot more.

As someone has said it may be best to contct medical schools and see if they would be willing to purchase or if you can put an ad somewhere in the school.

[Giggles_Fairy]

Also, where did you purchase it from? I knwo you say you have had it a long time but you must have got it from somewhere so maybe see if you can sell it the same way.

[nursingthepennies]

Originally Posted by Giggles_Fairy

Didnt they have a task on The Apprentice where they had to sell various items inc. a human skeleton? I

the apprentice show skeleton was a plastic version - they retail for abt £400+ (and whoever bought it int ehpub for a few tenners was onto a bargain!) mine, however, is a genuine human skeleton dating from way beyond the early 1980's ban which stopped the import of skeletons for medical purposes. due to the ban and of course the now very good quality plastic versions, real human skeletons are, i gather, quite rare. i didn't realize the uk ebay site prevented sale of these so thanks for that info (as i hadn't realized all the auctions i had been googling came from the usa. ) i would obviously like this to go to someone who will value it for its medical purpose - huge amounts of info can be gleaned from real skeletons that just cannot be learnt from the plastic ones. i am afraid, though, as someone here has helpfully suggested, that i am just not in the financial positon to be able to "donate" it to a worthy cause... it cost me a fair amount back in the day and i would like to get some money for it now. i appreciate that some may find this tasteless, but it was initially donated to medical science and i paid a handsome price to use it as a teaching tool - many hundreds of people have subsequently all benefitted from that purchase. i will investigate further with regard to maybe a specialist medical auction.. in the meantime, many thanks to everyone who has replied to my odd enquiry! best wishes and good health to you all!

[StaffsSW]

One of my neighbours works at the local hospital, and they have an intranet system where people can offer items for sale - are you still in the medical profession and have access to something similar? Or are there any "trade publications" where likely purchasers may be found?

Do "Trainee Surgeon Monthly" or "Orthapeadic Times" exist?!

[perfectpeta]

ive sent you a pm OP

[Outdoorlass]

Goodness me, thats made me think twice about donating my body when i'm done in this world, wouldn't want to end up on Ebay

[foundationsmcr]

You'd prefer to end up rotting in a hole in the ground?

[Outdoorlass]

Originally Posted by foundationsmcr

You'd prefer to end up rotting in a hole in the ground?

Nope, but don't want to end up on Ebay either.

Each to their own, but tis not for me.