Antique Dealer - Clueless - Please Help Id (Massive Collection Won Many Awards)

[toptierohio]

I am an antique dealer, and I see fossils often but never had purchased any. When this lot came along it looked really good and I couldn't let it go for what I paid for it. I am clueless when it comes to fossils and would like a little help with ID'ing some as well as discussing values and where I may be able to send them to sell (Fossil Auctions, personal, ebay act). If you could look at the pictures and let me know what you think I would really appreciate it.

Here is what I know about it:

Large collection

Assembled by J. Gilmore in the late 1950's

Received 10-15 awards for best in show ect.

Collected in Southeastern, Ohio

Have binder with a Key and information on fossils.

Binder is Titled "Invertebrate Paleontology"

Looks like teeth, spines, bones, shells, ect

[Auspex]

These are all Paleozoic marine invertebrate (brachiopods, cephalopods, trilobites, corals...) fossils, typical of the area from which they were collected. It is the showcases and attendant documentation that won the awards, more so than any intrinsic value of the specimens themselves. They may have been assembled originally for display at fossil club meetings, but would also make interesting home decor.

[squalicorax]

Most of the fossils in these shadow boxes are readily identifiable. If you could post the detailed pictures here, these fossils could be identified.

[toptierohio]

These are all Paleozoic marine invertebrate (brachiopods, cephalopods, trilobites, corals...) fossils, typical of the area from which they were collected. It is the showcases and attendant documentation that won the awards, more so than any intrinsic value of the specimens themselves. They may have been assembled originally for display at fossil club meetings, but would also make interesting home decor.

Should these be sold as a set or broken apart?

[erose]

Definitely as a set. To other collectors the binder will be very important.

[Auspex]

Should these be sold as a set or broken apart?

Individually, these are pretty much "pocket change" fossils; the value, IMHO, is in their interpretive display and attendant documentation.

[squalicorax]

Could you please post a photo of the Middle bottom display?

That looks to have some nice trilobites in it.

[toptierohio]

Could you please post a photo of the Middle bottom display?

That looks to have some nice trilobites in it.

Please email me and I can forward you photos, they are to large to the site.

[toptierohio]

Is there any ballpark price these may be worth? I just want an idea. By pocket change you mean they aren't worth anything? I looked on ebay and some of the rolled up trilobites go for a few hundred.

[Auspex]

Please email me and I can forward you photos, they are to large to the site.

We would all like to see them. Just edit the picture so that it is under 2MB in size, with no dimension over 12 inches. Generally, most purposes here can be served by pictures with a resolution of 72 PPI, and a maximum dimension of 800 pixels; this allows several images to be attached to a single post. Larger, higher resolution pictures (within the default maximum size) can be posted to show important details, but you will not be able to attach as many to a single post: just make successive posts in this case.

Is there any ballpark price these may be worth? I just want an idea. By pocket change you mean they aren't worth anything? I looked on ebay and some of the rolled up trilobites go for a few hundred.

Depends on the species and condition; like anything else, value varies a great deal. Good images are required.

[toptierohio]

[Scylla]

I love the way these are displayed. Definitely more valuable as a set, as with anything unusual, the price would be whatever you could get for them. In other words you won't find a large price history for this sort of thing, but look at "cabinets of curiosities" to get ideas.

[MarleysGh0st]

You say you "have binder with a Key and information on fossils." I expect the identification of each of these fossils would already be documented in this binder. Does it have such details?

In particular, if the specimens are to have any scientific value, they need to come with precise locality information, which should also be in that binder. "Southeastern Ohio" isn't specific enough. If you sell the collection as a single lot, the binder should go with it. If you choose to split up the collection, make sure all of the relevant data goes with each lot.

[piranha]

Most of the trilobites are Ordovician Flexicalymene. You also have a nice Ordovician Isotelus and at least one Devonian Eldredgeops, and what appears to be an indeterminate proetid. For reference I labeled the representative group of enrolled and prone Flexicalymene specimens. If you can provide a better close-up photo of the trilobite labeled 'proetid?' we can make a confident ID on it.

[Herb]

A really interesting display, with some nice specimens, especially the trilobites. The sea urchin did not come from Ohio, I am pretty sure. Most of the corals and brachiopods are pretty common.

[Al Dente]

Herb is correct. This is the oddball fossil in the collection. I've circled it in red. It is Eupatagus antillarum from the Eocene of Florida. It is much younger than the other fossils in the collection.

[toptierohio]

Herb is correct. This is the oddball fossil in the collection. I've circled it in red. It is Eupatagus antillarum from the Eocene of Florida. It is much younger than the other fossils in the collection.

ohio.jpg

Thank You so much guys! Just all the information I can get helps. If you have any more ways to help me describe these to get them in the right hands id appreciate it.

[toptierohio]

So with what has been said, whats a fair price to assume for the collection? Ballpark? If I was to say the highlights of this collection to a friend what would I tell them?

[toptierohio]

Are we talking $50-$500+ ball park?

[squali]

I would suggest taking what you paid and adding an amount that will cover your time and effort

with a percent profit that you expect.

[Auspex]

It really is not possible for the Forum to appraise value, especially when images on a monitor are all we have to work with. This is why it is proscribed by our rules and community standards.

[Scylla]

Um, walking on eggshells here, we can't buy and sell in this part of the forum. Only by private message or in member sales and trades once you get enough points to participate in that part of the forum.

[Roz]

I sent you a PM, toptierohio.

[Cole]

I would suggest keeping them and finding someone to sell them to who has the same interest as the person who collected them in the first place. Someone who has that sparkle in their eye when they are looking at them in front of you. While each item is not particularly valuable, your value is in the eye of the beholder. And what I mean by this is that the person who found them obviously cherished them as invaluable and his family subsequently did not. To each their own. Its likely that each of those finds made that guys day, and he obviously had great joy and excitement out of finding and identifying them. When that person comes into your store and has that same interest you will know it, and that will be the time to pounce and set your price. Secondly, highlight the age of the specimens in your sale. Showcase that object Y is X many years old and most people who don't even care for fossils will be interested, in sheer age of the objects alone.

On this forum you may find someone that would be interested in taking them off your hands, but from what I have seen of this community, they would much rather go scouting for this kind of stuff. A lot of us make a life out of going from location to location and finding things on our checklists.

Another thing I will add (and hopefully the moderators don't get mad at me for pushing the subject) is that you may also find better luck with an international sale, as many people have great interest in collecting from locations they may never get a chance to see in person. A set like this in particular could allow for a collector to cross this area of their checklist so they can move on to more interesting locales.

I've never acquired many of those specimens, and I find them very interesting. Would be nice to hold some of them in hand and have a closer inspection.

Finally, I will add that I am surprised you don't want to hang onto them. Surely you've clicked on a couple other threads here and have been inspired. This collection would be a great start for you in this hobby, or perhaps your kids and grand kids. You have quite the educational tool at your disposal and I would assume you will end up getting far less than what they are worth to many of us.

My 22 cents FWIW.

Regards,

Cole~