Ailanna Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 I recently bought this piece from online and am uncertain of its authenticity. (But not very worried - it set me back less than $10!) It looks very much like the Dactylioceras ammonites coming out of the Posidonia Shale that I see online sometimes; however, up close, the shimmer appeared suspiciously similar to glitter nail polish. I tried a little acetone on one of the small back ammonites (third photo) and the gold dusting came off easily. There doesn't seem to be any depth to the positive fossils; where the plate is chipped, there just seems to be shale underneath. There are also tons of tiny ammonite impressions on the front but almost none in back. On the other hand, pieces like these are inexpensive, so would it be really worth the trouble to forge? Dimensions of the piece are about 13cm across, 1cm deep. Thank you for your expertise! I'm learning a lot from this forum. Happy to post more photos if necessary. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 It's real, looks good and I agree that faking it at that price would be silly. 2 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JarrodB Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 It's real. I have a few like it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Please remember to not reference any dealer names when discussing online fossils. Thanks. 1 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailanna Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 37 minutes ago, JohnJ said: Please remember to not reference any dealer names when discussing online fossils. Thanks. Sorry! I read the guidelines a while ago and forgot. It wasn't my intent to either endorse or discredit any site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorp Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 The ammonites are certainly real. However I am curious about the gold. Can a more experienced member comment on whether the gold coloring naturally comes off with acetone or if it was likely paint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 38 minutes ago, Ailanna said: Sorry! I read the guidelines a while ago and forgot. It wasn't my intent to either endorse or discredit any site. No worries. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Real and they’re pretty much always gold (pyritic) from that location. 1 John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailanna Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 1 hour ago, connorp said: The ammonites are certainly real. However I am curious about the gold. Can a more experienced member comment on whether the gold coloring naturally comes off with acetone or if it was likely paint? Acetone is an organic solvent, so I wouldn't think it would dissolve gold or pyrite. I've seen it recommended as a rinse for pyrite fossils to remove any remaining moisture, which is why I thought to try it. Maybe the fossil is real but someone thought to, erm, enhance the pattern? The source for this piece was not a fossil or rock dealer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Sometimes the pyrite layer is so thin on these things that it just flakes off. 4 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Very thin or finely particulate pyrite will react with oxygen quickly and darken. The fossil may have had a thin coating on it that was applied to prevent this. If the coating was soluble in acetone, you washed it away and the pyrite oxidized, and now more closely matches the matrix color. 2 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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