<sod>While the arguments about the nature of the new feathered animal were underway, negotiations were taking place between Dr. Häberlein and the [[British Museum]] of London, as the offer of sale to the Bavarian State Collection had failed. On 28 February 1862, a letter was written by [[George Robert Waterhouse]], the Keeper of the Geological Department of the British Museum, to Häberlein asking if he'd be willing to sell the fossil. This letter was written at the request of [[Richard Owen]], who was the Superintendent of the British Museum's Natural History division. Häberlein was interested in selling, but made it clear that he had a lot of other interested potential buyers from a variety of countries, and the competition was driving the price quite high.<ref>Häberlein, E. German Letter of 21 March 1862.</ref> He was 74 years old and quite ill at the time, and wished to sell his entire collection of Solnhofen fossils, which was fairly substantial. His original price for his full collection was set at 750 [[pounds sterling]].<ref>Häberlein, E. German Letter of 29 May 1862.</ref> Owen presented this letter to his museum, and was thereafter sent to Pappenheim to negotiate with Häberlein, but had orders to spend no more than 500 pounds. Häberlein, however, was unwilling to part with the fossil for less than 650 pounds.<ref name="icon of evolution"/><ref name="Beer">Beer, G. de 1954. ''Archaeopteryx lithographica''. A study based upon the British Museum specimen. - pp. I-XI, 1-68; London.</ref><eod>
<sod>While the arguments about the nature of the new feathered animal were underway, negotiations were taking place between Dr. Häberlein and the [[British Museum]] of London, as the offer of sale to the Bavarian State Collection had failed. On 28 February 1862, a letter was written by [[George Robert Waterhouse]], the Keeper of the Geological Department of the British Museum, to Häberlein asking if he'd be willing to sell the fossil. This letter was written at the request of [[Richard Owen]], who was the Superintendent of the British Museum's Natural History division. Häberlein was interested in selling, but made it clear that he had a lot of other interested potential buyers from a variety of countries, and the competition was driving the price quite high.<ref>Häberlein, E. German Letter of 21 March 1862.</ref> He was 74 years old and quite ill at the time, and wished to sell his entire collection of Solnhofen fossils, which was fairly substantial. His original price for his full collection was set at 750 [[pounds sterling]].<ref>Häberlein, E. German Letter of 29 May 1862.</ref> Owen presented this letter to his museum, and was thereafter sent to Pappenheim to negotiate with Häberlein, but had orders to spend no more than 500 pounds. Häberlein, however, was unwilling to part with the fossil for less than 650 pounds.<ref name="icon of evolution"/><ref name="deBeer1954" />Beer, G. de 1954. ''Archaeopteryx lithographica''. A study based upon the British Museum specimen. - pp. I-XI, 1-68; London.</ref><eod>