Ammonite Stolen In Toronto, Canada

[Oxytropidoceras]

Rare gem worth $500,000 stolen in Vancouver

heist, Toronto Star, December 23, 2014

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/12/23/rare_gem_worth_500000_stolen_in_vancouver_heist.html

The reporter on this story seems to have gone

quite overboard with some of the comparisons

that were made in this article. Don't complain to

me about the quite bad science in this article.

A unrelated story is:

Incautan en un mercadillo un ammonite de hace

60 millones de años que se vendía por 90 euros

http://www.ecoticias.com/naturaleza/87285/noticia-medio-ambiente-Incautan-mercadillo-ammonite-vendia-euros

I am not quite sure what this is all about.

Yours,

Paul H.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Oxytropidoceras

[FossilDAWG]

Regarding the first article, it seems the Toronto Star really needs to hire a science reporter, or at least someone who is scientifically literate.

Below is a Google Translate translation of the second article. I have to say these on-line translators are getting better. Anyway the article is a bit scary: someone who had an ammonite for sale at a flea market was arrested for violating the "rule of protection of cultural heritage", although the authorities admit they do not know if the ammonite is of Mexican origin. From the photo, it seems to me it could be a Moroccan ammonite. I'd have hoped that the police would seek a professional opinion about the specimen, and have some confidence it is a Mexican specimen, before making an arrest. Is it illegal in Mexico even to sell common fossils from a foreign source? At any rate, this sort of thing is why I would not collect fossils in Mexico.

Don

Here's the translation:

Seized at a flea market one ammonite 60 million years ago that sold for 90 euros

The defendant, after being questioned , could not specify the origin of the piece, which has already been deposited at the headquarters of the Civil Guard Huelva.
Submitted by : ECOticias.com / Red / Agencies, 02.01.2014 , 11:40 h | ( 381 ) reads

Agents of the Nature Conservation ( Seprona ) in Huelva have recovered in the market of the Huelva town of San Juan del Puerto a specimen of ammonite , a species of extinct mollusk that existed in the seas from the Devonian to Late Cretaceous with more than 60 million years and selling for 90 euros.

According to Europa Press from the Civil Guard officers , after recovering exemplary , have denounced the seller for an alleged offense against the rules of protection of national heritage .

The defendant, after being questioned , could not specify the origin of the piece, which has already been deposited at the headquarters of the Civil Guard Huelva.

The ammonite was found in that market in one of the inspections carried out by the Civil Guard continuously in such spaces.

Edited January 18, 2014 by FossilDAWG

[MB]

Regarding the first article, it seems the Toronto Star really needs to hire a science reporter, or at least someone who is scientifically literate.

Below is a Google Translate translation of the second article. I have to say these on-line translators are getting better. Anyway the article is a bit scary: someone who had an ammonite for sale at a flea market was arrested for violating the "rule of protection of cultural heritage", although the authorities admit they do not know if the ammonite is of Mexican origin. From the photo, it seems to me it could be a Moroccan ammonite. I'd have hoped that the police would seek a professional opinion about the specimen, and have some confidence it is a Mexican specimen, before making an arrest. Is it illegal in Mexico even to sell common fossils from a foreign source? At any rate, this sort of thing is why I would not collect fossils in Mexico.

Regarding the first article, it seems the Toronto Star really needs to hire a science reporter, or at least someone who is scientifically literate.

Below is a Google Translate translation of the second article. I have to say these on-line translators are getting better. Anyway the article is a bit scary: someone who had an ammonite for sale at a flea market was arrested for violating the "rule of protection of cultural heritage", although the authorities admit they do not know if the ammonite is of Mexican origin. From the photo, it seems to me it could be a Moroccan ammonite. I'd have hoped that the police would seek a professional opinion about the specimen, and have some confidence it is a Mexican specimen, before making an arrest. Is it illegal in Mexico even to sell common fossils from a foreign source? At any rate, this sort of thing is why I would not collect fossils in Mexico.

Don

Here's the translation:

Seized at a flea market one ammonite 60 million years ago that sold for 90 euros

The defendant, after being questioned , could not specify the origin of the piece, which has already been deposited at the headquarters of the Civil Guard Huelva.

Submitted by : ECOticias.com / Red / Agencies, 02.01.2014 , 11:40 h | ( 381 ) reads

Agents of the Nature Conservation ( Seprona ) in Huelva have recovered in the market of the Huelva town of San Juan del Puerto a specimen of ammonite , a species of extinct mollusk that existed in the seas from the Devonian to Late Cretaceous with more than 60 million years and selling for 90 euros.

According to Europa Press from the Civil Guard officers , after recovering exemplary , have denounced the seller for an alleged offense against the rules of protection of national heritage .

The defendant, after being questioned , could not specify the origin of the piece, which has already been deposited at the headquarters of the Civil Guard Huelva.

The ammonite was found in that market in one of the inspections carried out by the Civil Guard continuously in such spaces.

Don

Here's the translation:

Seized at a flea market one ammonite 60 million years ago that sold for 90 euros

The defendant, after being questioned , could not specify the origin of the piece, which has already been deposited at the headquarters of the Civil Guard Huelva.

Submitted by : ECOticias.com / Red / Agencies, 02.01.2014 , 11:40 h | ( 381 ) reads

Agents of the Nature Conservation ( Seprona ) in Huelva have recovered in the market of the Huelva town of San Juan del Puerto a specimen of ammonite , a species of extinct mollusk that existed in the seas from the Devonian to Late Cretaceous with more than 60 million years and selling for 90 euros.

According to Europa Press from the Civil Guard officers , after recovering exemplary , have denounced the seller for an alleged offense against the rules of protection of national heritage .

The defendant, after being questioned , could not specify the origin of the piece, which has already been deposited at the headquarters of the Civil Guard Huelva.

The ammonite was found in that market in one of the inspections carried out by the Civil Guard continuously in such spaces.

First of all, the news is from Spain, not from Mexico.

As you said, the ammonite looks like a Moroccan ammonite, so no problem with the spanish or andalusian heritage and their protection laws... I can asure you that the guardia civil, if they want, they have more important work in Spain than confiscating Moroccan ammonites in the sunday's markets.. what a shame.

See how proud is the guardia... like Torrente...

Edited January 18, 2014 by MB

[Auspex]

...ammolites are more than 17 million years old...

This may be true, but is not true enough; ammonites have been extinct for 65 million years. Guess it got past the editors...

[MB]

About the spanish news, here you have the video, an investigation has been opened in order to know the origins of this "important fossil" and perhaps Maxwell Smart(86) and Austin Powers will collaborate with them, together with the spanish intelligence...

http://www.canalsur.es/noticias/andalucia/localizan-un-fosil-de-60-millones-de-anos-en-un-mercadillo-de-huelva/357467.html