Auction for Rare Memorabilia from Pioneering Paleontologist Mary Anning Set for March 26
PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, March 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences (AAPS) is strongly advocating for support from the paleontology community and the public at large for a charity fundraiser benefiting the Friends of Lyme Regis Museum.
The museum, located in Dorset, UK, is built on the site of the first home and shop of Mary Anning, a trailblazing 19th-century female fossil collector, dealer and paleontologist. Visitors to the museum stand where Mary Anning stood and can even hunt for fossils on the very same beaches she did.
To further enhance its collection of rare and historical Mary Anning artifacts, the not-for-profit organization Friends of Lyme Regis Museum is raising funds to bid at auction on an extremely rare letter and signature from the pioneering fossilist. The letter, which provides an intimate glimpse into Anning’s innermost thoughts, is considered exceptionally important due to her pre-eminent place in British history.
The Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences, a US-based professional association representing commercial fossil dealers, collectors, and related professionals, working alongside academic and museum communities, is urging support for this meaningful community-based fundraising appeal. Monies raised will support the goal of bidding on the Mary Anning letter at auction and securing its return to her home town of Lyme Regis, and to the museum that honors her extraordinary life and achievements.
Geoffrey Notkin, newly-elected president of the AAPS, has been a lifelong fan of Mary Anning’s work as a paleontologist and as a groundbreaking female scientist.
“The figure in paleontology who, for me, stands above all others is Mary Anning. She made fossil discoveries of monumental importance in an era when women were denied professional positions in science,” said Notkin. “Mary spent her life in Lyme Regis, while helping to invent the science of paleontology, and this important letter deserves to go home where it will be cherished. I know the Lyme Regis Museum personally and I earnestly support their efforts.”
Those interested in supporting the fundraising effort are encouraged to visit the museum’s website at www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk. The auction ends on March 26, 2026, at 12:00 GMT.
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About AAPS: The Association of Applied Paleontological Sciences (AAPS) was organized in 1978 to create an association of professional fossil dealers, collectors, enthusiasts, and academic paleontologists. Its purpose is to promote ethical collecting practices and cooperative liaisons with researchers, instructors, curators and exhibit managers in the paleontological academic and museum community. For more information, visit https://www.aaps.net.
Becca Gladden
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