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Showing results for tags 'ebay'.
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Hi! Once again, I’ve been looking on online auction site and came across these fossils in a matrix. I only have pocket money to use on it. It is cheap, but I wished to know whether it worth the money. There are more images I can upload.
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Hi all! Just purchased a large (17lb) ammonite on an online auction site; my first time getting one and even after reading a lot of the comments here about them I still have no confidence in my own ability to assess how real this thing is and how much of it is carved if it is real. Would love any guidance! Thanks so much!
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Hello! I bought these Cambrian soft tissue fossils supposedly from Yunnan in china off of online auction site. I won them in a bid for suspiciously cheap. They seem real to me, but I’d be interested in confirmation of that. I’m also interested what you guys have to say as to what these are. Thanks! One is listed as Naraoia spinosa, the other, fainter one is listed as Vetulicola.
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Hi all. eBay is generally a good website for us to get fossil specimens as long as we do the proper research, and seek out reputable sellers. However, certain fossils pop up every now and then that are obvious fakes, and not every buyer is diligent enough to know so. What we can do is to report these listings. Believe it or not, sometimes they do get taken down. To begin, say you notice a fossil you know is fake. Click on Report Item on the top right, it's above the eBay item number. eBay takes you to another screen: Choose Listing practices > Fraudulent listing activities > You suspect that a listing is fraudulent Hit Continue, and you'll be given an item number. Hit 'Send Report'. You do not need to be a bidder to make this report. You'll know the report is made when you're taken to this new screen: Ultimately, the best practice if you shop on eBay is to do your due research. Ask the experts here; they are more than willing to point out when a fossil is fake. I've personally saved thousands just by helpful advice here. Also, if you notice any fake fossils, do us a favor as well by posting about it here, but do not mention the seller's name or identity; we are here to learn, not conduct a witch hunt. Good luck
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Is this another scam? Or is it real?
jbrackjr posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Saw this on online and for the life of me, I think it is a scam. I am not an expert, and even less than a rookie but it just looks strange. Let me know what you think. Thanks Jim -
Spinosaurus teeth real or fake
Georgemckenzie posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Hi everyone my girlfriend bought me a tooth off the internet and my brother was playing around with it and broke it was wondering if it was real or not so I knew to repair it or not with glue can show the outside if needed to thanks in advance for anyone that can help
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Keichousaurus or an impostor
Yan11 posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Hi, In 2013 I bought a keichosaurus fossil from online , and since then I haven't thought much of it, after me and my mum and dad moved to a new apartment the fossil got somewhat forgotten, but today I tried inspecting it. I read some of the treads here but even with this I can't decide if mine is a real or a fake one. From what I have gathered there aren't many outright fakes, but more so real ones that are enhanced. I will be glad to hear your opinion on the pictures (sorry for the poor quality but I had to use my phone). Any response will be very much appreciated. Best regards to everybody.
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Hi all, please be careful whenever you purchase Chinese vertebrate fossils or dinosaur eggs, especially turtles and birds. While some of these may look laughably fake, a search on purchase history reveals that these fossils have been sold over and over again. No prize for guessing which auction site these fossils were sold. I notice three devious techniques used by these sellers: 1) Issuing a certificate, claiming it's been examined by experts etc - Certs mean nothing, unless they are provided by actual museums 2) Selling some real fossils - I've been monitoring this seller's listings for years. Every now and then, a real one shows up. His victims may have bought something genuine from him before, and assumed all his listings are good. 3) Selling replicas alongside his fake fossils - By outright proclaiming some of his listings as replicas, this seller creates the impression that he is a responsible seller who would inform people about the true nature of their purchases. "The best lies have an element of truth" Remember, if you aren't absolutely sure of your purchase, post some pics here on TFF. We have experts who would help you if they can. Also, if you need more info about this listings or the seller, feel free to PM me.
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From the album: Echinoderm Collection
Camptostroma roddyi (Hundt, 1939). Kinzer formation, Bonnia-Olenellus Zone, early Cambrian. Found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, US. Bought as Ebay purchase. This animal is about 4cm in diametre. An early Cambrian echinoderm that is called a stem echinoderm as it is said that many types of echinoderms arose from this animal. This species is the only animal in the family of its own, Camptostromatoidea. -
Acetone test for paint on fossil
TeacherCollector posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Hello all, I started collecting fossils as a hobby a few years ago, trusting sources without question. I recently bought my first expensive fossil (Keichousaurus) online. I know they are often faked (or at least heavily restored) so I want to confirm that mine is legitimate. I did a scrape test which revealed more bone so that was good. However, I did an acetone test on a couple of the bones and the bones faded a little bit and the q tip I used picked up some dark grey/black. I also tried it on the matrix in three places which pulled up even more black on the q tip (more than the fossil had done). I was wondering if this is normal or not. Can you please help me determine if my Kiechousaurus is genuine? The picture shows one arm untouched (the top of the picture) which you can see is a bit darker than the bottom arm which has been swiped with acetone. Thanks for your help!
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Hi, I'm new to this site so apologies if i'm doing anything wrong, but i'm interested in purchasing amber with inclusions from the internet, I understand UKGE is a reputable UK online seller and this led me to online. I then found several other amber pieces with beautiful inclusions and I just wondered if anyone could help to point me in the direction of some good sellers. Many thanks
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PSA: When buying dinosaur teeth, always ask for the straight line measurement
-Andy- posted a topic in General Fossil Discussion
Having bought fossils for years, I noticed that fossils are photographed or measured in a way that might exaggerate their sizes. Such methods include: 1 - Pinching their fingers or creasing their palms to create a small rise for the fossil 2 - Zooming in specifically on the fossil (Good to show details, but not good for size judging) 3 - Using a small hand, e.g. a child or woman's hand 4 - Giving a "by the curve" measurement instead of the straight line. E.g. a 4-incher tooth is in fact 3-inch if measured on the straight line As an example, here's a juvenile Rex tooth: Looks pretty big eh? Here's the real size: It's a hair under an inch long! I've been at the receiving end of this myself where a tooth I mistakenly assumed to be decently sized turned out to be pathetically small. To sum it up. if purchasing fossil teeth online in the future, ask specifically for the straight line measurement, or better yet ask for a photo next to a ruler. That's the only way to be fully informed about your purchase. Good luck, and happy buying!
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This "Selenopeltis gallica" is currently being auctioned online. The seller assures us that it is authentic. Well, it is an authentic rock carving.
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Hi, I am new to fossil collecting. My main interest is Invertebrates & Fish Have seen some suppliers on online (UK). There are 2 big advertisers / shops that have some items that I am interested in. How do I know if the items being offered are genuine? If I am correct, I am not allowed to name them or post a link? Advice welcome Thanks
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Hi, I recently purchased some fossil titanothere teeth on eBay. I don't think the seller had ever sold or shipped a fossil before, when it arrived and I picked up the box it became immediately clear that it hadn't been packed well. When I opened it my worst fears were immediately confirmed. Lying there in a single piece of bubble wrap was my fossil in pieces . I'm hoping to repair it and I was thinking of using some plaster and paint certain parts black to repair it but people here are much more experienced than me and usually have better ideas then I do. Here are some photos:
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Hello, I have harboured doubts about this one having bought it of ebay over ten years ago. Its really only its ebay origin that troubles me as it seems to look Ok but I would welcome any feedback.
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Does anyone have experience selling fossils on Our Favorite Auction Site? I wanted to try selling my overflow and created two listing. Both were rejected because, if I understand it correctly, there were words "turtle shell" in the description. See the text of the email I got from eBay below. I called customer service and explained that we are talking fossils, fossils that are millions of years old. They would not budge, so I escalated the issue and now awaiting for someone to contact me. "Some of your listings haven’t followed our Animals, Plants, and Wildlife policy. In this email, we're including some policy information to help you with your future listings. We also had to take the following actions: - Listings that didn't follow our guidelines have been removed. A list of removed item(s) is available further down in this email. - We have credited all associated fees except for the final value fee for your listing(s). You may list plastic, glass, or other man-made items with a "tortoise shell" design if you state clearly in your listing what the item is and that it isn't made from real tortoise or turtle shell. Due to state and federal regulations, items made from turtles or tortoises that are considered endangered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service aren't allowed on eBay. In your listing, it is required that you include the turtle species from which your item is made. Species that are protected by law aren’t allowed. You listed an item made from tortoise/turtle but you did not identify the species. We appreciate that you have chosen to utilize our site and, if you choose to relist, the specific species of turtle/tortoise must be listed in the description. If you are unaware of what specific species of tortoise this is, or if it is a species that is endangered or threatened, we ask that you please not relist the item on our site. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with this information and be sure that your current and future listings, including any items that are relisted automatically, follow these guidelines. If they don’t, they'll be removed and your fees may not be refunded. It could also result in additional actions, including loss of buying and selling privileges on Favorite Auction Site."
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Rough Looking Keichousaurus
MarielleK posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Alright guys, so I have been wanted a keichousaurus for a while but haven't gotten one out of the fear of purchasing a fake. I am very aware that fossils on ebay from china are (the majority of the time) fake, especially keichs. The one I am looking at right now is from a ebay seller out of Hong Kong, but it looks especially roughshod, which I am hoping is a sign of authenticity. Most of the fakes I believe look very perfect and painted with dark blank paint, however this one looks in bad shape or only half prepared. I do not mind how decorative it looks, I would just like it to be a real fossil. I attached some pictures that the seller has up. Please let me know what you guys think! And thank you!!!
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I have come across a Keichosaurus from ebay... it does look quite good after trawling across the numerous threads that exist on this forum. Can someone have a second look for me? Thanks
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Platecarpus ptychodon jaw
Fossil'n'Roll posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
I found this yesterday listed as a 10.7" Platecarpus ptychodon jaw section. Everything looks fine to me, but I want to be sure it's 100% real and not composited before deciding whether or not to buy it. The price seems surprisingly low for a jaw section of this size.
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I found these three teeth on a certain auction site (all 5/8" long) listed as raptor teeth (probably just based on size), but clearly the first two are not. They must be either Nanotyrannus or T. rex. The cross section of the first is very rectangular like Nanotyrannus, but also very robust/"fat". I'm leaning toward Nano on this one. The second seems more oval shaped so I'm leaning a little toward T. rex on this one. I'm not really sure on either though. As for the third one, my gut says Nanotyrannus. The anterior and posterior serrations are definitely too similar for Acheroraptor (I have one, very different), but could it possibly be Dakotaraptor? Any help here is appreciated. I'm really not very interested in Nanotyrannus teeth right now but I am very interested in small mislabeled T. rex or Dakotaraptor teeth. tooth #1: tooth #2: tooth #3:
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Pulled the pin on a Keichousaurus
davej posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
Long time lurker here, figured it was time to sign up! I have been reading up on Keichousaurus out of China and how some are fakes and others are real fossils. Decided to pull the pin and pick one up, hope I made the right choice. The one toe that seems detached and the way the sternum bones are offset just seem too much work to fake. (I hope) Also the way the tail isn't perfect bone for bone Seller has a multitude of positive feedback. Please feel free to give your opinion.
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Found this tooth on eBay for cheap, but is this genuine?
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natural color or dyed?
Fossil'n'Roll posted a topic in Is It Real? How to Recognize Fossil Fabrications
I bought this 3.5" Carcharodontosaurus tooth on a certain auction site recently for $650. It looks real (and not a composite) to me, but the color does seem a bit strange in a few places. I'm sure it's just a natural pattern and I'm (slightly) worried over nothing but I have to ask. Does the tooth look dyed to any of you? If so, it was VERY carefully done but this is my first dinosaur tooth and I haven't really seen enough to be completely sure. The seller has 100% positive feedback with a lot of reviews. First three photos are indoors with flash, last two are outside. Indoor photos show the proper color (on my monitor).
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I watched a youtube video on a fossil collection someone had purchased, and someone in the comment section actually said something like "buying fossils is for (expletive). I go out in 110 degrees and work all day to find mine". I thought "wow! do people really think like that?". So is there some unsaid rule that people who dig their own fossils are somehow cooler or tougher than those who buy them? I don't have any accessible fossil sites near me. My collecting career was limited to a few months I spent in southwestern New Mexico. I was then in an accident from which I'm still recovering, which prohibits me from strenuous activity. Just curious. I just bought some fossils online. Scott
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