Fossils
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Lisbeth
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Re: Fossils
Looks like a Stromatolite 
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Re: Fossils
But you put doubts in my mind, so I thought I had better check
There is a lot of fraud (intentional and unintenional) in the fossil world.
Re: Fossils
The fossil "world" has some very shadey elements
The annual turnover in sales runs into billions.
In most cases, the locals at main collecting hot spots are paid pittance for their work (digging out and prepping specimens)
And as with most collectables, the rarer and more effort and time that goes into preparing (creating) a specimen, the more expensive it will be.
So if one can create a fake......
On top of that, there is distanct animosity between scientific circles and amateur collectors.
The incident highlighted in the movie "Dinosaur 13" showed this at its worst. (Must be on Netflix)
On a personal level.
I have an expert on a specialist forum that I usually consult before I buy anything.
But as I am learning what to look out for, and getting more experienced, I am starting to buy cheaper things on my own.
The annual turnover in sales runs into billions.
In most cases, the locals at main collecting hot spots are paid pittance for their work (digging out and prepping specimens)
And as with most collectables, the rarer and more effort and time that goes into preparing (creating) a specimen, the more expensive it will be.
So if one can create a fake......
On top of that, there is distanct animosity between scientific circles and amateur collectors.
The incident highlighted in the movie "Dinosaur 13" showed this at its worst. (Must be on Netflix)
On a personal level.
I have an expert on a specialist forum that I usually consult before I buy anything.
But as I am learning what to look out for, and getting more experienced, I am starting to buy cheaper things on my own.
Last edited by Dzombo on Fri Oct 25, 2019 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Richprins
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Re: Fossils
Dzombs!Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
Re: Fossils
It's usualy the higher value items that are faked, no point in copying something that's only going to sell for a few £/$, though it does sometimes happen.
When I say copy / fake. What usually happens is that a mould is made from an original specimen. And then resin replicas are made from this - In unlimited volumes. These are called casts.
Nothing wrong with a cast. Can give collectors access to specimens that would be beyond their financial means, or if only a handful of specimens have been found and aren't openly traded.
But the problem arises when these casts are passed off as originals at inflated prices.
Two areas that are particularly suseptable are the spiney Trilobites, and dinosaur eggs.
But all sorts of fossils can be faked
Also, often a poor specimen is enhanced (putty filling gaps, paint etc) to make it look better than it really is.
When I say copy / fake. What usually happens is that a mould is made from an original specimen. And then resin replicas are made from this - In unlimited volumes. These are called casts.
Nothing wrong with a cast. Can give collectors access to specimens that would be beyond their financial means, or if only a handful of specimens have been found and aren't openly traded.
But the problem arises when these casts are passed off as originals at inflated prices.
Two areas that are particularly suseptable are the spiney Trilobites, and dinosaur eggs.
But all sorts of fossils can be faked
Also, often a poor specimen is enhanced (putty filling gaps, paint etc) to make it look better than it really is.