psittacosaurus

[Oxalaia]

Any idea where i could acquire a psittacosaurus skeleton?

[ReptileTooth]

A genuine one or a replica?

[ziggycardon]

If you are looking for a genuine one and you don't live in China or Mongolia where these fossils are found, I kinda have to dissapoint you since there is a strick ban on exporting fossils from those countries which makes it almost impossible to get one legally in the rest of the world. 

If you are looking for a museum quality replica I can give you a link in PM. 

I know a British sellers who produces amazing psittacosaurus skeletons, I am going to order one myself next month!

[TyBoy]

Every once and a while they are offered for sale on auction sites in europe and north america.  Those offered from China were exported before the ban, so they say.

[Oxalaia]

4 hours ago, TyBoy said:

Every once and a while they are offered for sale on auction sites in europe and north america.  Those offered from China were exported before the ban, so they say.

 

4 hours ago, ziggycardon said:

If you are looking for a genuine one and you don't live in China or Mongolia where these fossils are found, I kinda have to dissapoint you since there is a strick ban on exporting fossils from those countries which makes it almost impossible to get one legally in the rest of the world. 

If you are looking for a museum quality replica I can give you a link in PM. 

I know a British sellers who produces amazing psittacosaurus skeletons, I am going to order one myself next month!

 

8 hours ago, ReptileTooth said:

A genuine one or a replica?

A genuine one, i have seen them around but never taken the chance to buy one for a few k. I know that Mongolia has strict laws on exporting but they get exported illegally anyway.

[-Andy-]

If you want to acquire a genuine specimen, you must be prepared for it to be composited or restored.

 

There are very few unrestored ones left in the market.

[Oxalaia]

1 minute ago, -Andy- said:

If you want to acquire a genuine specimen, you must be prepared for it to be composited or restored.

 

There are very few unrestored ones left in the market.

Of course

[ziggycardon]

2 hours ago, Oxalaia said:

 

 

A genuine one, i have seen them around but never taken the chance to buy one for a few k. I know that Mongolia has strict laws on exporting but they get exported illegally anyway.

Should you ever see one coming up for sale from an old collection, make sure you get all the paperwork to prove that it wasn't illegaly collected, cause you could get in serious trouble. 
I haven't had the experience myself, but I've heard quite a few stories of people getting in serious trouble for it, I am sure there are few posts on the forum about some of those stories.  

[steelhead9]

3 hours ago, ziggycardon said:

Should you ever see one coming up for sale from an old collection, make sure you get all the paperwork to prove that it wasn't illegaly collected, cause you could get in serious trouble. 
I haven't had the experience myself, but I've heard quite a few stories of people getting in serious trouble for it, I am sure there are few posts on the forum about some of those stories.  

I don't think "serious trouble" is an accurate description unless you have actually exported the fossil yourself from China or Mongolia and lied on customs forms. It is quite a grey area as owning, selling, or buying a fossil from these countries is not illegal in the USA. Not sure about Europe and elsewhere (except Australia, where it is illegal). Very politically incorrect to be certain, and no judgements here. The worst that could happen is that a zealous prosecutor could (and it would never happen for a psittacosaur) trace the specimen back to an illegal importation form. If that were to happen, and you were not the person who lied on the import document, you could potentially have the fossil seized. You would not have committed any crime and you could sue to have the fossil returned if you were crazy enough to take on the US government (do some research on those that have tried). I'm not saying any of this is morally correct. That's a judgement for every person to make for themselves, but "serious trouble" is a bit of a stretch. Then again, who wants Homeland Security knocking at their door!

[TyBoy]

7 hours ago, Oxalaia said:

 

 

A genuine one, i have seen them around but never taken the chance to buy one for a few k. I know that Mongolia has strict laws on exporting but they get exported illegally anyway.

There were lots exported to the States from China, like eggs when it was legal to do so.   I hear that the Tucson fossil show had rooms full of them.  What you see sold is probably the remnants of those and ones that are being resold.