FOSSILS
IMPORTANT TOPICS
ON FOSSILS AND
PRIMITIVE
HUMAN ARTIFACTS
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PLEASE NOTE:
PALEO DIRECT, INC. DOES NOT
OFFER ADVICE, OPINION OR VALUE ON FOSSILS OR ARTIFACTS FROM ANY OTHER SELLER
OR SOURCE OTHER THAN OUR OWN MATERIAL. IT
IS BEST TO CONSULT YOUR LOCAL MUSEUM OR UNIVERSITY PROFESSIONAL FOR SECOND OPINIONS.
FURTHERMORE,
WE
ONLY ACQUIRE NEW SPECIMENS
DIRECT FROM OUR AFFILIATED AND TRUSTED SOURCES OR THROUGH OUR OWN COLLECTING
EFFORTS. THIS PROTECTS OUR
CLIENTS SO THAT WE CAN GUARANTEE WHAT WE SELL WAS NOT STOLEN OR ILLEGALLY
COLLECTED AND IS 100% ACCURATELY REPRESENTED.
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT US WITH OFFERS TO SELL OR QUESTIONS OF
AUTHENTICITY, IDENTITY OR MARKET VALUE
THIS SECTION IS INTENDED FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR OWN INFORMED DECISIONS ON
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN AND IN NO WAY CAN BE CONSIDERED A
COMPREHENSIVE SOURCE AS THE DISHONEST SOURCES ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING THEIR
TACTICS AND OFFERINGS.
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FOSSILS
and PRIMITIVE HUMAN
ARTIFACTS
are a
highly specialized area of collecting and interest. This
section addresses important topics on the commercial fossil market,
collecting fossils and various topics that define and explain this unique
field. In the
following paragraphs, the term FOSSILS will be used but is intended to
encompass both categories of items.
Unlike
more focused areas of collector interest such as classic antiquities,
stamps, coins, antique furniture, automobiles, etc., the realm of collecting
fossils encompasses such a broad spectrum and consequently demands a very broad
knowledge and education. Knowledge is required spanning an enormous area of
science. More
importantly, a COMPLETE understanding to properly identify each specimen and
to be able to recognize enhancement and fakes cannot be overemphasized!
While the collector of fossils will, in time, hopefully gain this knowledge
through their own experience and education, the
burden of this knowledge along with ACCURATE and HONEST representation
of what is being sold is ultimately up to the FOSSIL DEALER. Sadly,
for such a vast area of world interest, FOSSIL COLLECTING exists mainly as
an 'uninformed hobby'. There is a void of sufficient and readily
available reference materials that address both FOSSIL IDENTIFICATION and
FOSSIL AUTHENTICATION. This unfortunate lack of information fosters
more widespread ignorance in
both dealers and
collectors than most other collector markets known. In this section,
we aim to highlight some of these seldom discussed topics but in no way, can
this section be considered fully comprehensive.
KNOWLEDGE
IS POWER so arm yourself
with as much education and experience as you can if you wish to build a
collection of properly identified and authentic
FOSSILS
and PRIMITIVE HUMAN
ARTIFACTS.
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FOSSILS AS INVESTMENTS:
In the field
of rare collectibles, fossils certainly qualify with an ever-increasing demand
and international appeal that transcends all countries, languages and cultures.
This cannot be said for many other collectibles such as American pop culture
items with respect to a Japanese or German collector audience. With fossil
collecting finally coming into the mainstream market, evidenced by the surge in
major international natural history auctions, it's likely to rank amongst the
most promising investments with regards to the rarest and finest examples.
Not only are deposits becoming rapidly exhausted, other factors have come into
play helping make the acquisition of fresh discoveries from the ground as
extinct as the fossils themselves. This will only accelerate the rising
value of the best specimens, not common commercial qualities or types.
Technological changes in machinery used in dredging and quarry operations now
destroy fossils that were once found by more primitive manual labor. Many
states and entire countries are passing legislation each year banning the
collecting, owning and export of formerly important market sources. And
finally, sites are being permanently destroyed by the advancement of Man with
the building of new highways and other infrastructures along with new commercial
and residential structures, this all on top of prime collecting sites.
What this translates to is that as more and more people each year are
discovering the fine appreciation of acquiring important and rare natural
history specimens, the source for these specimens is rapidly becoming depleted
at an exponential speed.
From vintage
automobiles to antique weathervanes, the rare collectible market offers a haven
for investing if done wisely and if placed in only the finest and rarest
specimens but no venue of this field has more promise than that of collecting
rare fossils. In comparison to all other rare collectible markets, it is
one of the MOST UNDERVALUED markets. For example, while 1960's-era
American muscle-cars routinely fetch prices in the hundreds of thousands to
millions of dollars, these prices are for cars that were produced by the
thousands off the assembly line and only several decades ago! This
irrational run-up of collectible prices can be seen in many different fields
except rare fossils. Only recently put on the map with the advent of the
Jurassic Park movies, the appreciation in price and interest of RARE fossils has
only just begun. It's a shame in one respect since by the time many
collectors will catch on to what is happening, the best opportunities to acquire
new material will be gone and likely, a very finite population of truly fine
grade and authentic fossils will simply change hands from one collection to the
other at insane prices. The rapid emergence of
fakes and fraud
in the fossil market in the last decade is also a warning sign that supplies are
becoming restricted.
Despite what some
scientists or 'anti-private ownership' individuals may tell you to discourage
the fossil trade, the highest quality and rarest fossils DO APPRECIATE and their
value goes up each and every year. This is simple logic. They are
not making fossils any more.
Minerals, gems, natural
precious metal specimens and meteorites are still forming in the Earth or
dropping from the sky as you read this yet, we see outrageous prices for this
material rise every year.
Unlike these collectibles where the
supply keeps growing, there are no more fossils! There is a very finite number on the
planet. Some more rare than others but once a deposit "plays
out" and is fully collected, or in some cases, is closed to the public for
legal collecting, the amount of available fossil specimens to acquire suddenly
ceases to grow. This transpires while
collector
demand for only the finest quality specimens drives onward, forcing
values and prices higher as time goes on.
In some
instances, there certain kinds of fossils that outnumber collectors wanting them
and you will always have an overabundance of the common quality, but generally
speaking, most fossils are rare when it comes to the top grades which is why we
advise "BUY THE BEST" or at least, the best you can afford.
Stick with the
best quality you can afford and you cannot go wrong. There is a universal
demand for high quality fossils and collectors exist all over the world for the
best specimens. The increasing public awareness and appreciation of our
prehistoric past means that the collector market continues to INCREASE while the
supplies of quality fossils continue to DECREASE.
To recap, not
ALL fossils are good investments - only the truly highest quality and rarest
specimens. This rules out many types and certainly ALL of the commercial
quality fossils. Remember, if you ever go to resell a fossil or your
entire collection, it will only be desirable to a buyer if it is better
material than what everyone else is currently selling! The fastest and
most promising appreciation in value will be for the unadulterated, authentic
fossil specimens of the absolute finest quality and rarest types
ONLY. Invest in the BEST from a highly competent and extremely
knowledgeable professional dealer who is well versed in fossil preparation,
restoration and repair. This knowledge is needed to expertly weed out the
ever-increasing fakes that plague the fossil market like it does ALL rare
collectible markets. Get a guarantee in writing regarding the authenticity
of the specimen and make sure the guarantee is forever and unconditional.
Nothing's worse than bequeathing your collection to a museum or family member
only for them to find out you have the best collection in the world of the
worst fossils!!!
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WHERE
WE GET OUR FOSSILS FROM:
Many people ask
us where do we get our fossils from. First of all,
we
DO NOT BUY FROM UNKNOWN PRIVATE PARTIES and WE DO NOT BROKER FOSSILS FOR OTHERS. Please do not call or
write about selling your fossils or asking what they are worth. We will NOT
respond. We are not an appraisal, identification or brokering service.
We
ONLY acquire specimens
either from our own collecting efforts or from direct sources we know very well. In most
cases, this means the person or persons that dug or collected the fossils.
In limited cases, some fossils we offer came from a private collection. In
this case, we still know the original collector beyond and well before the transaction.
Most other dealers do almost ALL of their "blind" buying of finished,
ready-to-sell fossils knowing little SPECIFIC substantive knowledge if the specimen
was legally collected and to truly what degree it is repaired or restored.
At Paleo Direct, we prefer to
bypass this avenue and intimately know what we sell by traveling to the source
countries either collecting ourselves or directly acquiring specimens from the sites as they become discovered.
Paleo Direct also prepares many of the fossils we offer in our own lab
facilities so very detailed
AND ACCURATE information
about what was done to the specimen is known first-hand. As a buyer,
wouldn't you want to know this?
Our method of
acquisitions accomplishes
several benefits. First, it allows us to acquire much more interesting and
unique specimens instead of continually offering the same "fossil
show" and commercial varieties year after year. Most truly high
quality and rarer types of fossils seldom make it to the big fossil shows.
If they are really nice enough or rare in quality, these kind of fossils are
usually snatched up well before they can make it to a show. Unfortunately, this
strategy of field collecting, direct overseas acquisition and specimen
preparation requires frequent international travel and
a full-time career dedication. The vast majority of fossil dealers operate on a part-time
basis, supplementing income from a primary career or retirement pension and
therefore, cannot offer such a commitment.
In addition,
Paleo Direct's practice of avoiding such "blind buying"
ensures what you are buying does
NOT come with any "strings attached". If
a fossil dealer does not intimately know the source of their fossils,
there is no way to ensure, the fossils were legally obtained, not stolen from protected sites,
government property or from another individual! If the fossil
acquired is fully prepared and ready for sale, which is the way the vast
majority of other fossil dealers buy their fossils, then it becomes
impossible for the dealer TO KNOW IN
DETAIL WITH SPECIFICS if
any repair or restoration was performed
obviously, assuming it is real in the first place. As a fossil dealer,
just "passing the buck" and thinking you are off the hook by telling
the customer only what "you were told" by the broker is not fair and
not sufficient. The
fossil dealer MUST be fully experienced and possess extensive specific knowledge in being able to spot
a fake or if a fossil has been repaired or restored. The
customer is looking up to the dealer as the expert. After all, this is
what a dealer of any market should offer their customers - honest and accurate
disclosure of the item at hand.
THIS IS A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE FOSSIL DEALER TO THE CUSTOMER.
Only the most
foolish buyer with more money than brains will bypass this sound
advice.
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PRICING
FOSSILS:
It may seem
confusing or arbitrary as to how a specific fossil is priced. Since no
two specimens are alike, minute differences can DRASTICALLY affect the value
and price of a fossil. These differences may not be readily seen to
the casual observer or neophyte fossil collector but to the market and
discerning collector, subtle features DO make a difference and it is here
where prices can vary dramatically! This is the case with EVERY type
of fossil specimen.
The
presence of certain features that are not normally seen in typical specimens
can cause a certain higher quality fossil to sell for MANY TIMES what hoards
of the same type of specimen normally sells for. This is a simple
example of supply and demand. The number collectors that want the BEST
fossils far outnumber the quantity of truly top-grade specimens.
There are "tractor-trailer loads" of your average grades for every superb
quality NATURAL specimen. Whether you are talking about shark teeth,
ammonites, fish fossils, flint artifacts or anything for that matter, this
is always true in this business.
Years ago, we
decided to focus and base our business model on providing only the higher
quality material. An extraordinary amount of effort is required to do
this from locating and collecting all the way to preparing the
"best" specimens. Naiveté on the customer's behalf
sometimes makes it hard to compete with a dealer selling a much lower
quality specimen where it is being falsely represented as NO RESTORATION, NO
REPAIR, ALL NATURAL or it is not from the source or is not even the species
or type described.
We
see this ALL the time and it is disheartening. Nevertheless,
we feel that if a collector focuses on QUALITY, the collection and hobby
will be much more satisfying as the years go by. While we believe
there is a place for the common specimen, we have decided long ago it only
makes sense to offer and promote the better quality and more rare specimens.
If we seem high priced compared to other dealers, analyze what it is they
are offering. Is it honestly in the same category as a specimen we are
offering? Are there ample high quality images for you to examine what
you are comparing? Has the specimen been fully discussed, properly
identified and has restoration or repair been honestly disclosed? A
nick on a tooth, the presence of repair or restoration, artificially
improving the specimen, etc., are all examples of a factor that can make a
seemingly similar fossil worth only pennies to the dollar. The demand
for the absolute BEST quality and RAREST fossils is insatiable and when we
offer such a specimen, it is priced accordingly.
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FOSSIL FRAUD:
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SPECIAL NOTE:
PALEO DIRECT, INC. DOES
NOT
OFFER ADVICE, OPINION OR VALUE ON FOSSILS OR ARTIFACTS FROM ANY OTHER SELLER
OR SOURCE OTHER THAN OUR OWN MATERIAL. THE INFORMATION IN THIS SECTION
IS TO EDUCATE YOU
TO MAKE YOUR OWN INFORMED DECISIONS.
PLEASE
DO NOT ASK US TO PROVIDE ANY OPINION OR ADVICE ON WHAT YOU HAVE ACQUIRED OR
PLAN TO FROM OTHER SOURCES.
IT IS BEST TO CONSULT YOUR LOCAL MUSEUM OR UNIVERSITY FOR SECOND OPINIONS.
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Only the most experienced
fossil dealers who possess necessary test and preparation equipment and who are
EXTENSIVELY EXPERIENCED WITH ALL TECHNIQUES OF FOSSIL RESTORATION AND
FABRICATION should be trusted to know the difference when it comes to fake
fossils of ANY source or type!
Very, very few fossil dealers have any
more knowledge in this than the very customers that rely on them! Do
NOT be afraid to ask your fossil dealer about his or her PERSONAL and
immediate experience in fossil preparation, restoration and fabrication.
If they tell you they do not PERSONALLY possess
MANY YEARS OF EXTENSIVE first-hand experience
in artistic techniques and application in fossil
fabrication and restoration, and that they are relying on THEIR sources,
avoid these dealers at all costs!!! These fossil dealers likely have several specimen
in their inventory that they have no clue as to their true authenticity
regardless of any guarantee or assurances that they will provide you.
Ask any
scientist or museum curator and they will tell you. Fake fossils have
become such a problem in today's commercial fossil market. It is of
utmost importance for both dealers and collectors to be able to determine if
a fossil has been faked or parts of it fabricated. We have dedicated a
separate section on this important topic beyond the introduction you see
here. You can see the entire section by clicking the button below.
Since there
are no fossil authentication services, no respected dealer guilds to
support, and no books on the market explaining how to detect fake or
restored fossils, the commercial fossil market requires the practice of CAVEAT
EMPTOR, or "let the buyer beware". The fossil business is increasingly being plagued each year with better and more advanced
fakes finding their way into the marketplace. This can be confirmed by
anyone in the paleontological scientific community! Add to this the
extensive knowledge a dealer MUST possess in order to properly identify
their fossils and recognize fake specimens and you can see that the sale of
fossils is not a task to be taken lightly.
A FOSSIL
DEALER KNOWLEDGEABLE IN FOSSIL RESTORATION, REPAIR AND FABRICATION IS YOUR
PRIMARY DEFENSE AND BEST INSURANCE POLICY when
it comes to building a fine quality fossil collection of accurately
identified and authentic fossils. What determines a
"knowledgeable" dealer? The staff at Paleo Direct is fully experienced
in fossil preparation, repair and restoration. To be clear - we don't
just KNOW how it's done - WE DO IT. It's not enough to brag about what
equipment you have if you really just show it off for promotional purposes
and fire it up once in a while. We all KNOW how to use the fully
equipped lab we operate on our premises. If we do not prepare a
specimen that we sell, the extensive years of experience in fossil
preparation allows us to confidently assess a fossil to determine and
disclose to the customer what exactly has been done to it.
We feel that
the only fossil dealer that can be relied on when it comes to
this topic (assuming the dealer is honest to begin with!) is
a
dealer who PERSONALLY knows AND HAS CONSIDERABLE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
in actually preparing, repairing and restoring fossils.
This excludes some dealers but many of the techniques used today to forge
and fabricate fossils have become so sophisticated that without this
experience it becomes dangerous "guesswork". Many dealers have been
sold forgeries by their suppliers who they thought were
their "friends" only to find out the truth at the expense of their
customers and reputation. Stay away from brokers and stick with a
professional supplier who has the ACTUAL fossil preparation hours under
their belt if you want
peace of mind. Without this, you are trusting a stranger who is also
trusting a stranger or "friend". Sure, most fossil dealers
will offer unconditional guarantees and a refund if a fossil is found to be
misrepresented but don't you want to KNOW what you have without the fear of
uncertainty? It's good to check up and get second opinions on even
dealers you know but you should NOT have to do that with EVERY purchase you
make. We at Paleo Direct encourage our customers to acquire second
opinions FROM THE SCIENTIFIC OR SCHOLASTIC COMMUNITY. Obviously, from
the massive amount of information we provide on this website, we believe the
more you know, the better position you will be in.
AN
HONEST BUT UNINFORMED FOSSIL DEALER IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN A
DISHONEST FOSSIL DEALER.
The end result is the same - you will not get what you are told you are
getting but worse yet,
a seemingly
honest dealer does not give you any "red flags" or negative vibe
so you drop your guard and in their ignorance, they sell a fake or
misrepresented fossil.
As the customer, your
ultimate best defense will come with time. It is EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION!!!!
Learn all you can about what you collect, why it is rare, what makes it
rare, what it looks like, how to spot fakes or restoration and what is the
proper identification of different specimens. If you actively purchase
fossils from various sources and you do not possess this knowledge, you WILL
get burned, guaranteed! It's only a matter of time and it
will be a costly education! Remember, in the realm of collecting
fossils or primitive human artifacts, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Besides, you
will gain enlightenment and a far greater appreciation for this hobby and
your fossil collection if you know all about it.
If in doubt,
the best unbiased advice you can seek for a second opinion is to ask a
paleontologist or related scientist affiliated with a local museum.
Some will be happy to help. Another valuable source is a professor
within a university geology, biology or ideally, paleontology
department. While they may not be fully aware of techniques for faking
fossils, they WILL know what the real specimen should look like or what it
may be if identification is an issue.
Where there are
specific issues with specific types of specimens we offer, we try to point out what
to look for in the individual listing or page on this website. We will be
happy to help answer any questions on this topic BUT.... we will NOT
point out bad dealers or appraise or identify your fossils for you.
That was the responsibility of the dealer you bought them from. Go to
them or have a member of the scientific or scholastic community help
you.
For
more information on FAKE
FOSSILS click the button
below
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WHY
COLLECT FOSSILS?:
FOSSIL Collecting
is a highly rewarding and educational passion. Unlike the mindless
collecting mentality of "collecting just to collect", building a fine
quality fossil collection will give a lifetime of pleasure and offers a depth of
satisfaction that most other pursuits fail to fill. Each
and every acquisition is a mini-education and whether you collect across the
broad spectrum of prehistoric life or focus on a specific type, the end result
will be the same - pride in the knowledge gained and a meaningful understanding
and awareness that goes way beyond formal education.
A personal fossil
collection can
transport one back in time and impact those that might never have exposure to
real fossils, up close and personal.
If you share your collection for others to view, who knows who you may be
influencing or exposing to the fascinating world of paleontology.
Private
fossil collections offer us an appreciation of prehistory in a way that museums
have failed miserably to provide. The lack of fascinating and tangible
museum exhibits showcasing genuine fossils has directly resulted in
waning public interest and financial support for these institutions.
Regardless of how small your private collection may be, showcasing your own
genuine fossils or artifacts of primitive humans in either a home or office
setting, would not only make for an impressive display but will offer a rare
experience for most that come in contact with them.
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WHY
COLLECT PRIMITIVE HUMAN ARTIFACTS?:
PRIMITIVE HUMAN
ARTIFACTS are unique in that while a fossil puts us in touch with prehistoric
plant and animal life, artifacts from primitive humans add further depth to our
experience with the past. We are talking about holding in our hand a
stone tool that another man or woman made tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of
years ago. You can hold the tool just they way they did, feel the tool in
the exact way they designed it to feel. If it is comfortable or fits a
certain way, it is because an early human designed it that way. You are
experiencing the product of a human mind FROM LONG AGO!
This
is a transcending experience to many.
Human history on
this earth is a speck compared to all other life-forms. While many tools were left behind from
the existence of prehistoric humans, we refrain from selling the rarest
specimens, reserving these acquisitions for a private museum collection we will
exhibit in the future. Furthermore,
we
DO NOT sell, promote or encourage the sale of HUMAN FOSSILS.
Please do not ask us for these. If you see any for sale elsewhere,
consider them fake as they most certainly are. All human fossils ever
discovered from PRIMITIVE HUMANS could fit in the bed of a pick-up truck.
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LEGALITY
OF FOSSILS FOR SALE and
COLLECTING FOSSILS:
Many people are
unaware they have the ability to purchase and own AUTHENTIC FOSSILS. Aside
from a few countries in the world, private ownership of genuine fossils and
primitive man artifacts are completely legal. In some instances, specific
countries address the difference of private ownership of VERTEBRATE FOSSILS and
INVERTEBRATE FOSSILS in cases where the fossils originate from the country in
which the collector resides. For instance, ALL FOSSILS from Italy are
illegal to privately own if you reside in Italy. All VERTEBRATE FOSSILS
from Canada are illegal to privately own, sell or collect.
Generally
speaking, all fossils are LEGAL to privately own in the United States and most
developed countries of the Free World provided they were legally collected if
they are specimens originating in the country they are ultimately owned.
In the United States, you cannot go out and privately collect and own DINOSAUR
FOSSILS taken from federal land but if the land is privately owned and
permission is given by the landowner, the same fossils are perfectly legal to
own, collect or sell. This is where it is extremely important for buyers
to KNOW and trust the reputability and professional standing of the dealer from
which they acquire their specimens. The patronage of prominent and
professional suppliers is of utmost importance to not only ensure you are
getting accurately represented fossils with regards to authenticity and
restoration but more importantly, that you are spending your hard-earned money
on a specimen that was legally acquired from private land or not stolen from a
museum or a private party.
Paleo Direct,
Inc. only sells AUTHENTIC fossils and ones which are legal to own. Every
fossil and primitive human artifact we sell is guaranteed for life to be
authentic and as described. Every specimen purchased comes with our
certificate of authenticity providing history about the specimen and where it
was found.
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