Marketplace

Formation Records and Provenance

Formation names can help organize fossil documentation, but they do not verify ownership, lawful origin, authenticity, or value by themselves.

How formation claims should be reviewed

— Formation names should be supported by seller records, collection labels, locality notes, or credible prior documentation.
— A formation claim should not be treated as proof of lawful collection, ownership, or export/import status.
— Broad locality claims are weaker than documented source context, but exact sensitive localities may need privacy controls.
— Formation, species, age, and country claims should be separated when uncertainty exists.
— Future formation guides should cite sources and avoid implying a specimen is legal or authentic based on geology alone.

Formation reference

These consolidated notes replace short standalone pages. They provide geological context and a buyer due-diligence starting point, not specimen authentication or legal approval.

Green River Formation

Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah · Eocene, approximately 53–48 million years ago

Geology: Fine lake sediments preserve fish, plants, insects, birds, and other organisms in exceptional detail.

Marketplace due diligence: Commercial fish plates commonly come from documented private quarries near Kemmerer. A formation name alone does not establish which quarry, land parcel, or owner supplied a specimen.

Continue with the relevant guide →

Solnhofen Limestone

Bavaria, Germany · Late Jurassic, approximately 150 million years ago

Geology: Very fine lagoonal limestone preserves fish, invertebrates, pterosaurs, and rare soft-tissue detail.

Marketplace due diligence: Buyers should distinguish ordinary commercial quarry material from scientifically or culturally significant specimens and verify German and destination-country export requirements.

Continue with the relevant guide →

Pierre Shale

U.S. Great Plains · Late Cretaceous, approximately 81–69 million years ago

Geology: Marine shale from the Western Interior Seaway preserves ammonites, fish, and marine reptiles.

Marketplace due diligence: Land status controls the commercial path. Private-land records, collection locality, preparation notes, and restoration disclosure should travel with a specimen.

Continue with the relevant guide →

Provenance Guide Documentation Requirements

Formation Records and Provenance

Formation names can help organize fossil documentation, but they do not verify ownership, lawful origin, authenticity, or value by themselves.

How formation claims should be reviewed

— Formation names should be supported by seller records, collection labels, locality notes, or credible prior documentation.
— A formation claim should not be treated as proof of lawful collection, ownership, or export/import status.
— Broad locality claims are weaker than documented source context, but exact sensitive localities may need privacy controls.
— Formation, species, age, and country claims should be separated when uncertainty exists.
— Future formation guides should cite sources and avoid implying a specimen is legal or authentic based on geology alone.

Formation reference

These consolidated notes replace short standalone pages. They provide geological context and a buyer due-diligence starting point, not specimen authentication or legal approval.

Green River Formation

Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah · Eocene, approximately 53–48 million years ago

Geology: Fine lake sediments preserve fish, plants, insects, birds, and other organisms in exceptional detail.

Continue with the relevant guide →

Solnhofen Limestone

Bavaria, Germany · Late Jurassic, approximately 150 million years ago

Geology: Very fine lagoonal limestone preserves fish, invertebrates, pterosaurs, and rare soft-tissue detail.

Continue with the relevant guide →

Pierre Shale

U.S. Great Plains · Late Cretaceous, approximately 81–69 million years ago

Geology: Marine shale from the Western Interior Seaway preserves ammonites, fish, and marine reptiles.

Marketplace due diligence: Land status controls the commercial path. Private-land records, collection locality, preparation notes, and restoration disclosure should travel with a specimen.

Continue with the relevant guide →