2022 MAPS Fossil Show- Springfield, Illinois

[Nimravis]

Here is a quick write up on the 2022 MAPS (Mid America Paleontological Society) Fossil Show. 
 

The hotel show started on Wednesday, the day I arrived and the actual show at the Orr Building on the Fairgrounds property started this morning (Friday) and continues until Sunday afternoon.

 

This is the second year that the show has been held in Springfield and the venue (Hotel and Orr Building) are so much nicer that years past in Iowa City. The show is not that as big as in years past, and maybe with the new venue it will once again be the size it was  when it was held in the Main building at Western Illinois University- Macomb.

 

I know it is billed as the largest “all fossil show”, but in my opinion, I feel that they should open it up to gems / minerals. I think the added clientele will add a shot in the arm to the show, and the dealers will see an increase in sales from the added foot traffic, that will lead to an increase in impulse / curiosity buying- but that is just my opinion.

 

Now on with the pictures. I did take pictures of a lot of fossils, but I will only post the pictures that do not show prices.

 

Besides myself, other FF members that were in attendance were @stats , @fiddlehead, @Roby , @RCFossils , @ParkerPaleo and @crinus. I know there were other members there and if I missed you, I apologize.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Tim (ParkerPaleo)

 

 

And here is Rich (Stats) 2nd from the left and Jack (Fiddlehead) far right.

 

 

A White River Saber Cat -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took a number of more pics at the hotel show and the main venue, but to edit the pics to hide the prices is just too long of a process.

 

The show had a small area for kids to search for fossils, there were a couple of presentations that took place during the show, there was a live auction and after the show closed, the was a talk at the hotel location, which is only 8 minutes away.

 

After the show, there was another lecture that was held at the hotel (Northfield Inn an Conference Center).

 

 

I will again head there in the morning to see if any other vendors show up. If you have not been to this show, I would recommend it and maybe the increased presence will be the jump start that I think it needs.

 

On the next post, I will have pics of some of the fossils / books that I purchased at the hotel show and main show.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by Nimravis

[Nimravis]

My purchases-

 

3 trackway pieces from Oklahoma.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 books- one from 1899 and one from 1900, the have great plates of flora.

 

 

 

 

 

Some agatized coral-

 

 

 

A few shark teeth- 

 

 

 

 

Some nice flora pieces from Davies Co, Indiana. The first piece is a Radstockia a couple of Annularia and a bunch of Calamites.

 

 

 

 

Continued on next post-

 

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by Nimravis

[Nimravis]

Calamites-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mite shark teeth-

 

 

This piece is hard to take a picture of in the hotel room and will take better ones when I get home, so I can get a better ID. It stated it was a mosasaur tooth from Morocco, but I want to double check.

 

 

 

If I see something interesting tomorrow I will add to the pics. If you were there and want to add to the post, please do so.

[Mochaccino]

Thank you for posting these, I love those Lodgepole crinoids!! You picked up some very nice items, those Indiana flora nodules and the mosasaur tooth are especially beautiful.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Mochaccino

[marguy]

Thank you for sharing these photos, and congratulations on your superb acquisitions.

[RJB]

Hey @Nimravis, thanks for all the great photos.  MAPS is a show I have always wanted to go to.  I love the saber cat.  Anyway you can get me the dealers info for me?  Unless its sold already.  I am very interested in this.  Thank you

 

RB

[Troodon]

Thanks for the photos.  How was attendance?   I like your idea about adding mineral dealers. Most other shows include them and it really does not take away from this being a "fossil" show.   It does add foot traffic which is good for all.  

 

With that Mazon Creek collection you purchased ever consider bringing excess ones to sell at this show? 

 

Nice pickups never can have too much mazon creek material   My favorite its that big tooth, nice if its mosasaur.   Did you see Pete at the show ?

[FossilDAWG]

I really wish we had a show like this in the southeast.  It would be hazardous to my bank account for sure, but a greT opportunity to pick up some items I would never get a chance to self'collect.  Maybe one day I'll be able to get away from being a responsible adult long enough to make the 11 hour drive.

Some quality mineral dealers could add to the shows traffic, certainly.  However you don't want to end up like shows in this area that are 95% beads, magic crystals, lapidary material, some specimen minerals, and just a few fossil dealers with lots of fake Moroccan material or overpriced Megalodont teeth.

 

BTW I'm sure you know already but those "cetacean vertebrae" are actually the epiphysis that goes between the vertebrae.

 

Don

[Nimravis]

1 hour ago, FossilDAWG said:

BTW I'm sure you know already but those "cetacean vertebrae" are actually the epiphysis that goes between the vertebrae.

Yes I do, I always liked them since Doren @caldigger sent me a Riker mount with a few in them.

[Nimravis]

2 hours ago, Troodon said:

Thanks for the photos.  How was attendance?   I like your idea about adding mineral dealers. Most other shows include them and it really does not take away from this being a "fossil" show.   It does add foot traffic which is good for all.  

 

With that Mazon Creek collection you purchased ever consider bringing excess ones to sell at this show? 

 

Nice pickups never can have too much mazon creek material   My favorite its that big tooth, nice if its mosasaur.   Did you see Pete at the show ?

Frank- there was not a lot of people yesterday, hopefully it is better for them today, it is quiet at the show now and it is supposed to be in the mid 70’s today, maybe it will drive people in.

 

I did see and talk with Pete.

 

 

[Nimravis]

3 hours ago, RJB said:

Hey @Nimravis, thanks for all the great photos.  MAPS is a show I have always wanted to go to.  I love the saber cat.  Anyway you can get me the dealers info for me?  Unless its sold already.  I am very interested in this.  Thank you

 

RB

I am at the show now and he is not in yet, if he comes in before I leave in one hour, I will get it for you.

 

[MikeR]

1 hour ago, FossilDAWG said:

I really wish we had a show like this in the southeast.  It would be hazardous to my bank account for sure, but a greT opportunity to pick up some items I would never get a chance to self'collect.  Maybe one day I'll be able to get away from being a responsible adult long enough to make the 11 hour drive.

Some quality mineral dealers could add to the shows traffic, certainly.  However you don't want to end up like shows in this area that are 95% beads, magic crystals, lapidary material, some specimen minerals, and just a few fossil dealers with lots of fake Moroccan material or overpriced Megalodont teeth.

 

BTW I'm sure you know already but those "cetacean vertebrae" are actually the epiphysis that goes between the vertebrae.

 

Don

Hey Don

 

I have always wanted to attend MAPS as well, but it is never on my mind when it is held.  Although Tampa is still a drive for you, the Tampa Bay Fossil Fest is really good.  From Athens is it still a haul, 7 hours, but that is better than 11.  I went this year and spent more than I had planned, but it is the best fossil-focused show that I have attended.   Many of the dealers are TBFC members selling extras and therefore there is more of an emphasis with the Cenozoic which is my primary interest anyway.  I would think MAPS is more Paleozoic centric.

 

Mike

[deutscheben]

Thanks for the post @Nimravis. I am going to try to stop by later today if the timing works out, perhaps I’ll see some forum folks there.

[FossilDAWG]

Hey Mike

I'll keep that in mind.  When is that event?  Tampa would be easier to sell as a vacation.

 

Don

[Mark Kmiecik]

11 hours ago, Nimravis said:

Radicites?

[rfarrar]

The Lodgepole crinoids are quite nice. Interesting that they are labelled as coming from 3 different counties. I was unaware of any locations where this material could be collected to sell. Are they from an estate?

[Praefectus]

Great pictures! Thanks for the virtual tour. 

 

16 hours ago, Nimravis said:

It stated it was a mosasaur tooth from Morocco, but I want to double check.

It is a mosasaur tooth from the Bekrit oil shales near Timhadit, High Atlas, Morocco. The age is early Maastrichtian, older than the more common phosphate mosasaurs from the late Maastrichtian. Nothing has been formally described from Bekrit, but I suspect that your particular tooth is Tylosaurine. 

[Joe_17]

Cool, I know a few people who attended .Wish I could have went .

[Nimravis]

9 hours ago, MikeR said:

Tampa Bay Fossil Fest

I always wanted to go to this.

 

[Nimravis]

8 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

Radicites?

That is what Jack said-

[Nimravis]

4 hours ago, Praefectus said:

Great pictures! Thanks for the virtual tour. 

 

It is a mosasaur tooth from the Bekrit oil shales near Timhadit, High Atlas, Morocco. The age is early Maastrichtian, older than the more common phosphate mosasaurs from the late Maastrichtian. Nothing has been formally described from Bekrit, but I suspect that your particular tooth is Tylosaurine. 

Thanks for the ID- here are a couple pictures that I took earlier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mark Kmiecik]

1 hour ago, Nimravis said:

That is what Jack said-

It doesn't look like roots to me.

[Nimravis]

29 minutes ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

It doesn't look like roots to me.

It is not, I am 99% sure he said it was the plant portion, but I know he said Radicities.

[stats]

I had a great time at the event.  It was good to see everyone.  That's for starting this thread Ralph.

 

Cheers,

Rich

 

Here are my purchases.

 

2 overlapping Lepidostrobophyllum from Vigo County, IN

 

Cool 3 piece fossil from Daviess County, IN

 

Rhacophyllum - Mazon Creek

 

Horseshoe crab (Euproops) from Vigo County, IN.  

 

Annularia - Mazon Creek (River)

 

Macroneuropteris from Daviess County, IN

 

Miscellaneous from Daviess County, IN

Edited October 23, 2022 by stats

[siteseer]

I remember the people running the MAPS show for a while wanted to keep the show small.  They didn't want to expand or move from Macomb but a hotel show started in 1994 or 1995.  Other people took over later and they moved the show but I don't think MAPS will let in mineral dealers.  It's whole deal is being fossils only like the Tampa Fossil Fest.  I was at the MAPS show in '94 and '95.  They used to have it in the spring about when the weather was warming up (April-May).  A lot of the dealers were collectors selling their extras rather than professional dealers.  They didn't even have lights.  I met some great people and found some great stuff.

 

I've also been to the Tampa Fossil Fest.  I think the last time was around 2015.  Some dealers did have Moroccan stuff but a few people did have a selection of Florida stuff (sea urchins, mammal teeth/jaws/bones, etc.) so that was good and the club had some oddball publications for sale.  The member display cases were great too.  You could see what people used to be able to collect.

 

Anyway, that was a great report, Ralph.  You found some nice stuff.  Yeah, those vertebrae look like epiphyses (plural of epiphysis) - the ends of vertebrae that fuse to the centra as a mammal matures.

Edited October 23, 2022 by siteseer
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