Should I get a lycoptera

[Raptor9468]

I am a fossil collector in Hong Kong and I keep seeing lycoptera for sale everywhere in local fossil shops. However,fossils like lycoptera are from China and it is difficult to prove its export date,if not impossible.Yet I know for a fact that it isnt illegal to keep them here and some fossil collectors even bring rarer Chinese fossils on TV shows and mall exhibitions locally(psittacosaurus and dino eggs).Thats why Im conflicted between shall I acquire one or not and want to hear your opinions on this

[aplomado]

I do remember reading a few years ago that lycoptera were on the exempt list.

 

See the post by yzhang here:

 

 

Unfortunately, the original list of protected and exempt fossils linked to is no longer on the website.

 

[Raptor9468]

Found it protected fossil list

https://web.archive.org/web/20170412062542/http://www.mlr.gov.cn/dzhj/gswhs/tzgg/201207/t20120723_1123526.htm

Interestingly,I saw a news from China's official newspaper about a fossil hunter talking about his contributions and saying that fossil hunting benefits science from 2019 through the law hasnt changed as far as i know it,they might make a change though 

[Kane]

If it were up to me, and if there was any uncertainty about legality, I would err on the side of caution. Is there a customs official you could contact?

[Raptor9468]

The truth with these fishes,and any fossils in general, regardless of origin,is that they are all legal to sale in Hong Kong(I saw a confuciusornis fossil for sale 2 months before,I even saw bone chunks of dinosaurs here) it is just the fact that they might be illegally exported from China that makes me think of getting one or not,though many local sellers keep telling me it is legal to get one and they are exported pre ban and I see local collectors having a lot of different chinese fossils,so I am quite doubtful seeing the two sides. As many collectors would know,somehow a huge amount of Chinese fossils come from Hong Kong,making me doubt its origins,yet those sellers seem to have connections with paleontologist and even government museums from China so I am very confused at this point

[Raptor9468]

Another question,have anyone one seen lycoptera replicas anywhere?

[Flaffy]

On 9/6/2020 at 5:25 AM, Raptor9468 said:

Another question,have anyone one seen lycoptera replicas anywhere?

With the (current) abundance of Lycoptera fossils, I don't think anyone would bother making a proper Lycoptera replica and be nice enough to sell it at replica price. You'll find plenty of artificially enhanced ones online though, along with many potential fakes that are marketed and sold as authentic. 

From what I understand is, most of the major Jehol Biota dig sites have either been depleted, or have completely restricted/banned fossil collection. So what's available on the market are usually just old stock from the pre-ban days. It's probably impossible to prove the legality of most of these common fish fossils as they've been passed from dealer to dealer over the years without paperwork.