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ULTRA RARE TYRANNOSAURUS REX HAND CLAW Hell Creek Formation - South Dakota, U.S.A. LATE CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 68 - 65 million years ago Tyrannosaurus rex fossils are considered by most collectors, to be the "Holy Grail" of all fossils to acquire and own in a collection. No type of dinosaur commands more respect and fascination than the members of the tyrannosaur family and a T. rex fossil seems to be at the top of every dinosaur fancier's list. Without question, fine quality fossils of these dinosaurs will steadily appreciate year after year as limited legal collecting regions in the United States continue to be scavenged and produce less and less fine quality specimens. Considering the fact that a T. rex had only four hand claws (two on each limb), compared to several hundreds of teeth that an individual T. rex shed over a lifetime, one can see the EXTREME RARITY of this fossil T. rex hand claw! As with any rare fossil, one big issue in today's market is the question authenticity and proper identification. Please read the warning below as several issues surround the sales of fossils such as this. This incredible fossil manus (hand) claw is from none other than the 'tyrant king" of dinosaurs - Tyrannosaurus rex. It was found virtually 100% complete and only required approximately ONLY 1-2% restoration to fill three tiny missing superficial portions of the body and a very small amount near the tip. We performed all work to this specimen ourselves in our lab and we received the specimen in its raw state from the original collector so we can attest to a completely accurate disclosure. The claw was found with no cross-sectional parts missing so that no area of the claw has been fabricated that would alter or make up its length or profile. The color is a stunning and sinister blackish brown and has been sealed with a protective consolidant to protect its condition and stabilize cracks. This is one of the FEW TRUE AND REAL T. rex claws we have seen for sale in a long, long time amongst a host of many questionable offerings. A COMPLETE Tyrannosaurus rex hand claw such as this, is SUPER RARE! Fossils like this have such a strong international demand and there are so few honestly represented specimens of fine quality like this specimen that ever reach the market. Common sense tells you that such a fossil as this is not only a good investment now but it will always prove to be a prize of ever-increasing value as the general public becomes more and more aware of collecting items of natural history as the increasing popularity of large auctions sales have proven on an international scale. Unlike minerals, meteorites and precious metals, fossils are the only type of item that is NOT renewing itself in the earth or falling from the sky to earth on a continual basis. Fossil deposits are extremely finite and legislation along with destruction of sites due to new construction all translates to fossils becoming rarer than the buying public realizes. Most likely, by the time the mass public "discovers" the enjoyment and investment potential of rare, fine quality fossil specimens, the "party will be over" and new finds of material like this will be long gone with specimens transferring from private collection to private collection, at sky-rocketing prices as it changes hands each time. Emphasis on RARE and FINE QUALITY fossils only.
WARNING: In the past man years up until very recently, we have observed a disturbing number of completely fake or substantially restored claws being sold as coming from T. rex. A second problem with these kind of claws is their improper identification. There is another dinosaur called Chirostenotes that has a claw that is very similar to a Tyrannosaurus rex hand claw. In numerous sales, we have seen other dealers and auction houses selling Chirostenotes claws as being T. rex claws. A THIRD problem has been observed by us where partial claws of more common dinosaurs other than T. rex are sculpted and restored to look like a T. rex claw! Because of the extreme potential financial gain to be made, such a purchase needs to be very carefully studied and acquired ONLY from a 100% reliable DIRECT source. Brokers and dealers that are acquiring their fossils already completely prepared and finished have little to no idea what was done to their material they sell. The staff of Paleo Direct is fully experienced and regularly performs all phases of fossil repair and restoration on their premises where needed. This work is always disclosed on our website voluntarily, and can be found in the text of the fossils we offer. Caveat emptor when it comes to dealers that buy already prepared specimens because there is a great tendency to stretch the truth when it comes to completeness and authenticity as the financial rewards ARE VERY HIGH on fossils from this dinosaur, ESPECIALLY! This is a very important issue in the fossil business as almost all fossils have some repair and/or restoration. Purchasing specimens FROM THE ACTUAL PERSON OR PERSONS DOING THE PREPARATION WORK is VITAL for you the buyer, to know what you are getting. Buying rare fossils from a seller that just goes to a show or broker, buying from someone else who simply echoes what they were told is the best way to get a mystery fossil with no recourse to determine as to what kind of work has been done. This kind of rampant misrepresentation in the fossil market is one of the key arguments the science community uses to discourage buying fossils in the first place! To be sure that what you are buying is accurately and honestly represented, only deal with a highly experienced professional who is actively engaged in, as well as has first-hand knowledge AND experience with regard to fossil preparation, repair and restoration. Equally important is a complete understanding of the anatomy of the specimen and animal at hand.
The name TYRANNOSAURUS REX is synonymous with sheer terror. Just mention the name and almost anyone, regardless of how much or little they know about paleontology, will recognize the "Tyrant Lizard King". Long thought to be the largest meat-eating dinosaur that ever lived, it has been recently discovered that Carcharodontosaurus (Giganotosaurus) was actually larger but not as robust as T. rex. Clearly, the massive proportions and musculature of Tyrannosaurus rex were meant for one thing, taking down anything that challenged it or got in its way!
The jaws
of a Tyrannosaurus rex were up to 4 feet long. Each dinosaur
possessed approximately 50 to 60 robust, conical teeth that ranged in
size from an inch to over 9 inches long. These teeth were rounder
in cross-section
Clearly, the sheer robustness of Tyrannosaurus rex required enormous amounts of protein to sustain such body mass. True scavengers tend to be lean with wiry, lighter bodies able to function better between the discovery of carcasses in the wild. Active predators will usually scavenge a carcass as a 'target of opportunity' which T. rex most probably did, but the mighty design of T. rex would have been both - 1) unnecessary up against prey that is not alive to fight back and, 2) of a body mass difficult to sustain over the lifetime of the beast on the availability of carrion, alone. Fossil remains of T. rex represent the pinnacle of dinosaur fossil collections and exhibits the world over. Their universal appeal and rarity compared to ever-increasing market demand put fine quality Tyrannosaurus rex fossils at the forefront of highly promising INVESTMENT FOSSILS. Be aware of dealers offering fragmented bones and teeth as being from T. rex. Ignorance and deception persists in the fossil trade as the financial rewards are great for wrongly classifying a fossil as from T. rex. Deal ONLY with reputable and knowledgeable suppliers who will provide a certificate and lifetime guarantee of positive identification. AMAZINGLY RARE DINOSAUR CLAW OF NEAR PERFECT CONDITION - A TRUE INVESTMENT SPECIMEN! 4.5" long on the leading edge SOLD DC18-001 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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HELL CREEK FORMATION, U.S.A. |
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18900 |
TYRANNOSAURUS
REX grew to up 46 feet long, 20 feet high at the hips and weighed 5 to 7
tons. Despite some claims as to this beast being a clumsy
scavenger, the undeniable facts about T. rex's anatomy indicate quite
the opposite. This enormous killer was built to HUNT.
It had amazing senses for smelling (based on braincase studies and
enlarged lobes for this sense) but more importantly, Tyrannosaurus rex
was HIGHLY DEVELOPED for seeing - something you do not
need when all you "chase" after is a non-moving, dead animal. The
massive five foot skull had 4 inch diameter eye sockets that would have
held a 3 inch diameter eyeball. T. rex possessed
large lobes in its
brain for vision that processed complex sight information. T. rex
also had a unique head compared to most predatory dinosaurs with both
eyes facing forward on the front of its skull. This allowed ideal
depth perception - best needed for stalking and hunting LIVE, running
prey. While other predatory dinosaurs possessed depth perception,
it would not have been as developed as T. rex because of this feature.
Plant-eating dinosaurs have their eyes located on the sides of their
heads which allows them to WATCH FOR PREDATORS from all
directions, something T. rex never needed since it was THE king of
predators and had NO equal in its region.
than
most other predatory dinosaurs' teeth which enabled T. rex's teeth to
better stand up to crushing bone. Conical teeth can also best
sustain the impact force of hitting the body of its prey when attacking
and holding struggling prey prior to the kill. Like many
predatory dinosaurs, an adult T. rex had a range of lengths of teeth in
its jaws at any time. Teeth were constantly emerging and replacing
damaged or worn ones. 
