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Fossil export and collecting in US


Anomotodon

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In two months I will be going back to Ukraine from United States. I have already found and purchased a lot of fossils here and I would like to take them back to Ukraine. Therefore, I have several questions:

1) What should I do to export purchased fossils from US? As far as I know, Ukraine does not have any limitations on fossil import.

2) Do I need any specific documents for exporting self-found fossils, for example, found in Green Mill Run? 

3) What do I need to do in order to mail fossils in the same direction?

Thank you in advance.

The Tooth Fairy

 

 

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It can be a hassle, especially with limits of airplanes (for example you could call them stones but then you are not allowed to bring Moreno than three because they are projectiles, whereas if you call them sharks teeth they may think your transporting illegal shark bits). I usually mail, and I call them rocks or fossils (either works) and say they are for educational purposes. Good luck, transport is often the hardest part of fossil hunting!

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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On our flights to and from Australia, we had an allowance of two luggage bags with a weight limit of 50 lbs each. Used our clothes as padding for the fossils and sent the rest via usps. In declaring through the airport, we stated we had fossils-some we had bought, some we had found. We were asked if they had any dirt on them that could pose a biohazard and we stated no, as we had cleaned and paraloided them. No issue. In shipping, we usually label them as "gift" and being geological specimens or common fossils with a value of no more than $50. As long as they were legally collected, there shouldn't be an issue.

 

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
-Romans 14:19

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I’ve hauled tons of Texas fossils to France and Germany in carry ons in 2011 and 2015.   I had no issues at either end.  They didn’t even check if they were verts or inverts.  Best bet is to check current import regs at your destination country.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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I have never had any problems, but best put the big ones and the sharp ones in your check in bags.  And while we are at it, just for curiosity, do you know if it legal to take fossils out of Ukraine?  Say, if a feeler wanted to got o Ukraine to find some fossils.   

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Thank you all for replies!! So I don't need any specific documents?

3 hours ago, jpc said:

I have never had any problems, but best put the big ones and the sharp ones in your check in bags.  And while we are at it, just for curiosity, do you know if it legal to take fossils out of Ukraine?  Say, if a feeler wanted to got o Ukraine to find some fossils.   

It should be possible. I have not found any specific fossil-related regulations in Ukraine. Also, Ukrainian fossils often make it to the "fossil market" (for example, Devonian agnathans or Silurian eurypterids).

The Tooth Fairy

 

 

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Hi, here is a similar thread that may contain some info that may be useful to know.

 

 

If you're a fossil nut from Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Redondo Beach, or Torrance, feel free to shoot me a PM!

 

 

Mosasaurus_hoffmannii_skull_schematic.png

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Thanks @Macrophyseter

As I understand, the best best way for me would be to ship my fossils. However, I have a lot of them (more than 200) and all of them are vertebrates. Can this cause any problems with shipping?

I declare them as a Gift "Mineral specimens for Educational Purposes" and put a value of ~30$? I think if I put the real value (~1000$) it might look suspicious and cause problems, am I right?

The Tooth Fairy

 

 

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This really presents an issue. If it was me doing this, I would try to take as many as I can in my luggage that would be checked.  Though I would worry that if they were to open my bags prior to them being placed on the plane, that some of the fossils might end up in someones pocket. Do not take any with you on your carry on- TSA most likely will not allow them on the plane since they could be used as a weapon, this happened to me last month.

 

For the remaining fossils, and if I had someone in the Ukraine to mail my packages to, I would do it piece-meal. I would stagger the mailing dates so that the packages would arrive at different times and this might lessen the chance that a specific group of them go missing- plus smaller size boxes seem to arrive in better shape than larger ones. As far as customs papers at the post office, I would call them "rocks" and that they are a "gift" with a value of $10 or $15.

 

As we know, fossils are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. With that said, I have not seen any of your fossils, but I will offer you $15.00 for them and not a penny more. So now when you go to the post office or through TSA at the airport, you can say that someone offered you $15.00 for all of them and that you are thinking about it- thus, you have a real value of your fossils.

 

Good luck on your transportation and let us all know how it goes.

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1 hour ago, Nimravis said:

This really presents an issue. If it was me doing this, I would try to take as many as I can in my luggage that would be checked.  Though I would worry that if they were to open my bags prior to them being placed on the plane, that some of the fossils might end up in someones pocket. Do not take any with you on your carry on- TSA most likely will not allow them on the plane since they could be used as a weapon, this happened to me last month.

 

For the remaining fossils, and if I had someone in the Ukraine to mail my packages to, I would do it piece-meal. I would stagger the mailing dates so that the packages would arrive at different times and this might lessen the chance that a specific group of them go missing- plus smaller size boxes seem to arrive in better shape than larger ones. As far as customs papers at the post office, I would call them "rocks" and that they are a "gift" with a value of $10 or $15.

 

As we know, fossils are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. With that said, I have not seen any of your fossils, but I will offer you $15.00 for them and not a penny more. So now when you go to the post office or through TSA at the airport, you can say that someone offered you $15.00 for all of them and that you are thinking about it- thus, you have a real value of your fossils.

 

Good luck on your transportation and let us all know how it goes.

Thanks! My fossils are very small, so I will probably need only one package :fingerscrossed:

So do I need any documentation about how these fossils were acquired if I send them by mail? Like receipts, statements from paleontologists about the scientific significance, land owner permissions for some purchased fossils, etc.?

The Tooth Fairy

 

 

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11 minutes ago, Anomotodon said:

Thanks! My fossils are very small, so I will probably need only one package :fingerscrossed:

So do I need any documentation about how these fossils were acquired if I send them by mail? Like receipts, statements from paleontologists about the scientific significance, land owner permissions for some purchased fossils, etc.?

When I mail fossils to places like France, England, the Netherlands, I just packaged them and on the Custom form I called them "rocks" and that they were a "gift" and I put a value on them of $5 or $10. I have not had any problem as of yet. I have never added any receipts or other paperwork.

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Just now, Nimravis said:

When I mail fossils to places like France, England, the Netherlands, I just packaged them and on the Custom form I called them "rocks" and that they were a "gift" and I put a value on them of $5 or $10. I have not had any problem as of yet.

That's great! Thank you again!

The Tooth Fairy

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/19/2017 at 7:06 PM, Nimravis said:

 

As we know, fossils are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. With that said, I have not seen any of your fossils, but I will offer you $15.00 for them and not a penny more. So now when you go to the post office or through TSA at the airport, you can say that someone offered you $15.00 for all of them and that you are thinking about it- thus, you have a real value of your fossils.

 

BAM! SOLD!  Gosh Ralph, fifteen dollars for several thousand worth of fossils, you really know how to get some great deals.

 

(That would make a terrific headline...a story of some terrorists trying to hold up a plane with a handful of trilobites.)

 

 

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