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ULTRA RARE LARGE SUPREME GRADE VELOCIRAPTORINE DROMAEOSAUR "RAPTOR" KILLING TOE CLAW IN ORIGINAL KILL SITE MATRIX AS FOUND FROM HELL CREEK Hell Creek Formation - South Dakota, U.S.A. LATE CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 96 - 66 million years ago Without a doubt, a RAPTOR KILLING CLAW is the most sought-after fossil amongst all dinosaur fossil collectors regardless of how advanced they are. Fossil claws of high quality preservation and size coming from the famous Hell Creek deposit in the United States are probably the most rare and therefore, the most valuable. Large fine grade carnivorous dinosaur claws from Hell Creek are definitely high yield investments as well as show-stopping specimens. For its astonishing array of dangerous and large prehistoric predator fossils, no place has captured more attention or has been featured on television more than Hell Creek! This is the first offering of its kind we have ever had the pleasure of making. It is an unusually large Velociraptorine dromaeosaur 'raptor' killing claw still in its ORIGINAL kill site fossil-bearing matrix AS FOUND. It is the FIRST TIME we have offered ANY claw in its original matrix but this happens to be one of THE FINEST Hell Creek Velociraptor-size dromaeosaur killing claws we have come across. The claw has a couple of hairline fractures that have been stabilized but nothing else has been done to it. There are other associated fossils in the matrix that this claw was found in including a RARE ossified tendon of a large, unidentified dinosaur, a Nanotyrannus tooth that had been sheared in half in prehistory (not from digging), and other associated bones and fragmentary fossil remains still encased in the hard sandstone rock. THIS IS NOT AN ARTIFICIALLY ASSEMBLED DISPLAY PIECE. The CLAW IS STILL IN THE SAME POSITION AS IT WAS FOUND IN THE HARD SANDSTONE. Such a dinosaur fossil as this is extremely fascinating and tells a story as to what the area could have been like because other associated remains are found together with this claw. You can even see prehistoric impression of what look like wood in parts of the rock. This is definitely a recommended specimen for dinosaur museum exhibits or highly advanced private collections. Dromaeosaur 'raptor' killing claws command the highest fossil prices of most dinosaur claws and are amongst the most requested dinosaur fossils. The majority are mostly pieced back together from fragments and require CONSIDERABLE restoration. This investment-grade specimen is WITHOUT ANY RESTORATION OR FABRICATION. It's fullness, lack of distortion or flattening, surface detail, color and size make it rank as our finest. Numerous photos above attest to such a rare investment fossil as this one is. Supreme quality and detail abounds with a perfectly preserved blood groove along with all surfaces in the finest preservation. The claw is in such remarkable condition and sharpness that it has NO visible tip wear whatsoever! Surface density is superb and preservation is as good as it gets on these. Definitely a 'once-in-a-lifetime' offering and a highly recommended prize predatory dinosaur fossil! WARNING:
We are seeing more and more claws that have been expertly reconstructed
and restored being sold as "no restoration or repair". Very impressive
dinosaur fossil claws occasionally come up on the market with
extraordinarily high quality workmanship in fabrication and repair.
These expertly repaired and restored claws can fool all but the most
trained eye and anyone that does not actually have extensive experience
in fossil restoration, repair and preparation will likely not be able to
tell the difference. These claws are being sold at shows and on the
internet as having "NO REPAIR and/or NO RESTORATION" which is simply
untrue but the ignorance of the seller is just repeating what the former
supplier told them without their own ability to discern if any work was
truly performed on the claw. It is IMPERATIVE to ONLY
deal with a very knowledgeable dealer who has considerable,
first-hand personal experience with all facets of fossil
fabrication, restoration and repair in order to avoid becoming a victim
of the ignorance and fraud that unfortunately plagues this business.
Paleo Direct, Inc. operates a fully-equipped preparation lab and we
perform all our own work on the dinosaur claw specimens we sell,
enabling us to accurately disclose to our clients, an assessment of the
work performed.
Recent discoveries in China have shown feathered species existed. This has revolutionized paleontologists' view of what not only these creatures could have looked like when alive, but of possible plumage on other therapod dinosaurs. Dromaeosaurs share other characteristics with birds and theories now place these vicious predators as being the earliest ancestors of birds. Dromaeosaurs first evolved in the Early Cretaceous and survived right up to the end of the Late Cretaceous suggesting they were adaptable and capable hunters, surviving such a prolonged period yet, remaining virtually unchanged in overall design. EXTREMELY RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE AN INVESTMENT-GRADE VELOCIRAPTORID KILLING CLAW IN ORIGINAL KILL SITE MATRIX
FOSSIL CLAWS OF THIS GRADE FROM THE FAMOUS HELL CREEK FORMATION IN THE U.S.A. ARE AMONGST THE MOST IN-DEMAND FOSSILS OF ALL - THE PINNACLE OF A COLLECTION!!! Matrix is 7.5" long by 4" high by 2.25" thick overall, Killing Claw is 1.75" long on the dorsal curve SOLD DC6-014 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE DROMAEOSAUR "RAPTOR" FOSSILS FOR SALE |
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THE HELL CREEK FORMATION OF NORTHWESTERN U.S.A. |
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The
dromaeosaurs are popularly known (especially in the movie "Jurassic
Park") as "raptors", a group of fascinating extinct
creatures. Raptors ranged in size from the size of a small dog
on
up to 30 feet long! They are therapods that possessed specialized
features: a well-developed slashing talon on their second toe, a stiffened
tail, and large grasping hands.
The
"killing claw" of raptors was a terrifying and incredibly
efficient weapon. As they moved, it was held off the ground.
When the muscles of the toe were contracted, the claw swept down
quickly, providing for a powerful slash that may have been able to
disembowel prey swiftly. The stiffened tail would have been good
to stabilize the body while the grasping arms and jaws held onto the
prey for balance. Although there is no conclusive evidence for
this, it has been suggested that raptors could have performed leaps onto
large prey and used all four limbs to rip wounds in them. 
Raptors
were ferocious predators that some scientists believe hunted in packs
and attacked much larger dinosaurs by slashing their underbellies.
It is also believed that they were similar to lions in predatory
behavior, preferring ambushes and quick chases using their high
maneuverability along with strategic pack-hunting tactics. A human
could be torn to shreds by a pack of raptors in less than 30
seconds. 
