There has been a small amount of useful data come from collectors, but
the destruction they do far outweighs any value in their collection. Even
surface collecting, it turn out, destroys a record of the site, as
plowzone studies indicate.
If a museum accepts the collection they condone the activity of
collecting and treasure hunting. If they display the items, they give
validity to such action and show they support it.
A museum should have an ethical position which refuses to accept items
acquired unethically.
Without scientific provenience, a collection of arrowheads is just a
bunch of pretty rocks.
Bill Adams