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Fake, forged, composited, and illegally traded fossils are a serious problem. This guide helps you identify common fraud patterns before bidding.
Jurassic Depot protects buyers: Every listing is scored for authenticity. Suspected fakes are blocked or flagged. Report suspicious listings immediately.
Casts are replicas from real fossil molds. Look for: bubble marks, seam lines, uniform color, no natural variation, unnaturally perfect symmetry.
Multiple specimens glued together. Common in trilobites, dinosaur skeletons. Look for: color mismatches, unnatural joint lines, different preservation quality, glue residue under UV.
Undisclosed crack repair, fill, or reconstruction is the most common deception. UV light reveals filled areas. Professional prep reports should list all restoration.
Paint or stain hides repairs or creates fake detail. Common on Moroccan trilobites and teeth. Acetone test dissolves paint. Genuine color is natural sediment staining.
Forged COAs, fake landowner releases, fabricated permits. Cross-check details. Verify signatures. Real permits have specific government reference numbers.
Dinosaur fossils from Mongolia or China without government export docs are virtually certain to be illegally exported. These countries prohibit private ownership and export.
Morocco is the largest source of fake and composited fossils. Common: fake trilobite detail, composited mosasaur jaws, fabricated teeth. Demand provenance docs.