Been Wanting One Of These For The Longest Time!

[siteseer]

That is a great specimen. I have been told that the smaller ones are usually the best preserved with the bigger ones leaving less of an impression. That is something to think about - a recognizable fossil even more ancient than the oldest trilobites any of us have.

I've seen friends buy these and have been admittedly jealous. Some good ones have come up and I never felt that I could ever afford one.

If I waited until I could "afford" one I'd never get one. Soooooooooo, I got myself a Christmas present. Don't ask how much, I won't admit to it.

For those that don't recognize what it is, it is a Precambrian Metazoan fossil called Dickinsonia costata. The fossil is over 560 million years old.

This one is 9 cm by 13 cm and the best I'll ever be able to get my hands on. Big grin on my face! Love it.

IMG_1431.JPG My Dickinsonia.jpg

[Wrangellian]

Somewhere on the remote coast of Russia's White Sea is the other piece of my Kimberella. If anyone sees it please let me know. The complete fossil would look oh so good reunited. This is one of the most detailed Kimberellas I have seen.

My Kimberella 4.jpg IMG_1441.JPG aus_2005_fos_set_04_h200.jpg

No kidding! How many Ediacaran fossils do you have in all? I only have the Nemianas, a vendotaenid from the same area (though I can't really tell what I'm looking at there) and a thing called Intrites punctatus from Shropshire. Also a chunk of Mary Ellen stromatolite, to include the Precambrian generally. Would like to acquire more, but the prices...

[fossilcrazy]

No kidding! How many Ediacaran fossils do you have in all? I only have the Nemianas, a vendotaenid from the same area (though I can't really tell what I'm looking at there) and a thing called Intrites punctatus from Shropshire. Also a chunk of Mary Ellen stromatolite, to include the Precambrian generally. Would like to acquire more, but the prices...

I only have 4 real Vendian fossils and about a dozen replicas. If you have one real Ediacaran fossil, you have more than 99% of the population. Personally collecting is close to impossible, with almost all the known producing spots protected and the others so remote as to need funding to pay for the expedition to get there. Stromatolites are a bit easier to acquire and less money.

Edited December 24, 2013 by fossilcrazy

[Wrangellian]

I know the sites are mostly protected, which only pumps up the prices on those that get out... But even stromatolites can be pricey and hard to get (Precambrian ones, esp. from Aus. and Bolivia).

[Mexx]

Hey thanks for sharing this. Looking it up broadened my fossil horizon once again, as has happened so many times on this website already. This is truly a mysterious fossil. I guess these are relatively easy to fake though?!?

[fossilcrazy]

Hi Mexx,

Hope you had a good holiday.

Surprizingly enough, non-fossil specimens are marketed as replicas and not represented as the real thing. Big money values would seem like these would be a good targets to fake. Source to dealer is the most likely route for fossil collectors to get their hands on these authentic PreCambrian goodies. Anyone familiar with the localities would know what the matrix looks like and what the fossils they hold. No high end dealer that wants to stay in business, would present a fake as the real thing. I hope things stay that way.