Metal eagle crafted by Todd Berget goes on sale

Donna Berget never thought she’d be tasked with selling her late husband’s last unsold metal eagle sculpture. It’s a responsibility she never wanted.

“It’s hard enough not having him here,” she said.

Todd Berget died unexpectedly Oct. 29 after suffering a severe stroke. He was 54 years old. His sudden death was a blow to family and friends, as well as former colleagues and students at Libby Central School.

His passing put Donna in charge of selling eagle No. 90 of the 99 eagle sculptures her husband is believed to have created. Many of his powerful creations grace Libby streetscapes.

Eagle No. 90, which features a 26-foot wingspan, is on display along Interstate 90 near Cheney, Washington. Todd Berget built the eagle more than two years ago, believing then that Eastern Washington University, based in Cheney, would buy the sculpture.

But EWU, whose athletic teams are known as the EWU Eagles, has been beset in recent years by declining enrollment and tuition revenues. That transaction never happened.

Todd Berget found a business along I-90 that was willing to allow display of No. 90 on a pole. It’s been displayed there for about a year.

Donna said she has fielded a few inquiries about the sculpture. But people have balked at the asking price, she said.

“Todd was going to ask $35,000 for that eagle,” she said.

He began creating eagles in 1997. He watched as people who had purchased large eagles from his company, Custom Iron Eagles, resold them for five and six-figure sums.

Donna said a casino paid $100,000 for one of his eagles and another was sold to a Wyoming businessman for $75,000 for public display in Mills, Wyoming.

She said Todd witnessed these re-sales and realized his sculptures could command a higher price than he’d sought.

“This is the last eagle available for purchase that Todd made,” Donna said. “For that reason, we have decided to honor the price Todd wanted.”