I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS BOUGHT A MOA I WAS USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A RICH COLLECTOR WOULD DO
. I SUSPECT SOME MUSEUM OR RICH PERSON HAS TAKEN ONE IN THE PAST AND PERHAPS IT WAS DONATED TO SOME MUSEUM SOMEWHERE WHEN THE COLLECTOR DIED OR GOT OLDER AND DECIDED TO PART WITH IT.
OFTEN COMMON OBJECTS FOUND IN POOR AREAS HAVE NO VALUE AND ARE TREATED AS TRASH, THEY ONLY BECOME VALUABLE WHEN THERE IS A MARKET FOR THEM. FARMERS IN MID AND SOUTH AMERICA USED TO FIND LOTS OF ARTEFACTS IN THEIR FIELDS WHICH WERE REMOVED AND THROWN IN A DITCH OR USED FOR LANDFILL TO GET THEM OUT OF THE FIELD. ONE AREA IN CHINA HAD LOTS OF CHUNKS OF METEORITES IN THE FIELDS WHICH WERE REMOVED PILED UP AND USED FOR FENCES AND LANDFILL. FOR GENERATIONS THESE THINGS WERE WASTED OR DESTROYED UNTILL SOMEONE CAME ALONG AND OFFERED MONEY FOR THEM. THEN THEY WERE SOUGHT OUT AND TAKEN CARE OF SO THEY WOULD BRING THE BEST PRICE.
IN SOME AREAS THIS IS STILL TRUE A FRIEND OF MINE HIKING AROUND SOUTH AMERICA FOUND A LADY USING A OLD BOWL SHE HAD DUG UP IN THE GARDEN AS A WATER BOWL FOR HER DOG. IT HAD JAGUAR HEADS AND PAINTING STILL ON IT BUT WAS A BIT WORSE FOR THE WEAR OF BEING A DOGS BOWL.
IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN THE OLD WAY AND MUST SPEND ALL THEIR TIME SURVIVING AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILYS. THE CROPS MUST BE PLANTED, HARVESTED AND STORED THE HOUSE AND ANIMALS MUST BE TAKEN CARE OF WHEN THE CHILDREN GROW UP A SUITABLE MATE MUST BE FOUND AND THE NEW FAMILY HELPED TO GET LAND AND HOUSE.
WE ALL HAVE TIME ON OUR HANDS AND DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A BAD CROP, SOMETHING HAPPENING TO THE LIVESTOCK OR HOUSE WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE STARVATION OF THE FAMILY. PEOPLE LIVING LIKE THAT DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO COLLECT OR PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THINGS THAT DON'T HELP THEM EARN A LIVEING. WE ARE LUCKY AS WE HAVE THE TIME TO GOOF OFF , COLLECT, STUDY AND TYPE ON THE COMPUTER.