Christopher Darbonne Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I was wondering whet the most valuable fossils where. Such as single small fossils,like megaladon teeth etc. As well as complete or near animal skeletons. And including human, such as early Clovis skeletons, and tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Value is what someone will pay for an item, so it is hard to place values on fossils unless they are sold or have been sold. But, some standouts are the archeopterex from Germany, Most full dino raptor type skeletons, probably that darn large crinoid plate in Germany... Smaller items: 7" megs worth a lot. Plus all my fossils I find are valuable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 the most valuable fossils are the ones i found when out hunting with my son. they're priceless. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilshale Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 the most valuable fossils are the ones i found when out hunting with my son. they're priceless. Good point! I would never sell any of them. Here are couple of high prized fossils: http://hubpages.com/...for-500000-euro Thomas Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes (Confucius, 551 BC - 479 BC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 hey, um christopher, you've asked a really big question. there are a number of things that contribute to the value of a fossil. rarity, condition, scientific value, and many other variables. a "single piece" versus an articulated full skeleton doesn't really tell the whole tale. it very much depends on the piece or the skeleton. a large t-rex tooth would be much more valuable than a common complete fish skeleton from some places. but on the other hand, some complete skeletons are sort of unheard of and therefore hugely valuable were one to be discovered. human remains, even prehistoric ones, can be a very difficult subject. many believe they should not be disturbed or "owned" at all, and there are laws protecting them under many if not most circumstances. the same holds true for artifacts, such as the tools you mentioned. should you decide to become a serious field collector, then one of your first orders of business, other than safety considerations, needs to be studying up on legal issues so that you don't end up at the crossbar hotel from pursuing a hobby. you asked about megalodon teeth. megalodon teeth are not rare in and of themselves, but some are highly desirable due to condition, color, shape, size and/or location found. so there are fifty-dollar megs and multi-thousand-dollar megs. hopefully the information above is of interest. start reading up on fossils. they're extremely interesting. and welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I wish you luck Christopher. Almost all very valuable fossils are already being mined by someone else or are ilegal and only for the acidemics. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 To answer your question more directly, the most valuable fossils are the ones you find. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palaeopix Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 If you want to look at it from an academic standpoint then the most valuable fossil is the Holotype; the single specimen that was used to describe a species. Holotypes are priceless, as they are the single specimen that defines the species. Other specimens may have a role in the description, but the Holotype is the one that has the most significance and value (scientifically). Holotypes are almost always locked away, like the "Crown Jewels" , from the general public. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Good point! I would never sell any of them. Here are couple of high prized fossils: http://hubpages.com/...for-500000-euro Thomas What language was That translated from?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Value is what someone will pay for an item, so it is hard to place values on fossils unless they are sold or have been sold. But, some standouts are the archeopterex from Germany, Most full dino raptor type skeletons, probably that darn large crinoid plate in Germany... Smaller items: 7" megs worth a lot. Plus all my fossils I find are valuable. To which darn large crinoid plate in Germany do you refer? I'd like to see that, if it ranks that high in value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Have to agree with Tracer. The excitement and victorious shouts from my kids at finding -A Real Live Genuine Fossil! - is Priceless. It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xonenine Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Heres a Smithsonian article with tons of fascinating info 'bout dinosaur bone lawsuits, ebay and the perceived value of fossils... The Dinosaur Fossil Wars "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Darbonne Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 thanks allot dudes...and dudettes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Wrangellian, see here KOF, Bill. Welcome to the forum, all new members www.ukfossils check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandomas Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Plus all my fossils I find are valuable. I agree with you and Tracer: your own fossils are priceless Erosion... will be my epitaph! http://www.paleonature.org/ https://fossilnews.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Wrangellian, see here Thanks for posting the answer Bill. I am still amazed by that specimen!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Wrangellian, see here Got it, thanks. It's way bigger/more impressive than I had pictured.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Thanks for posting the answer Bill. I am still amazed by that specimen!! So am I. I have taken the liberty of enlarging the pic, hope you don't mind oilshale. KOF, Bill. Welcome to the forum, all new members www.ukfossils check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 What language was That translated from?? Ha! I'm still trying to figure out what language it was translated to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Ha! I'm still trying to figure out what language it was translated to That too. Knowing that might solve the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Have to agree with tracer and RJB.Any fossils found by myself or from a child I take hunting are priceless. Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Lots of factors go into value (as said above). For example I have Mastodon tooth in fragments I collected from West Palm Beach, Florida. This is VERY rare. However, the specimen consists of two large chunks of tooth without enamel and root--plus two cusps and a large flake covered in enamel. So you have to weigh that it is rare--which increases it's value--particularly to science, or the serious collector. But the aesthetics are not there--which detracts from commercial value. It would take a very specific buyer to appreciate it enough to buy it. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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