EONS: #497 PREMIUM OVIRAPTOR DINOSAUR EGG NEST (4 EGGS) Start Price USD 1,900.00 Current Price USD 1,900.00 Time Left 11 days 13 hours 51 minutes Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, November 20, 2008 End Time Monday, January 19, 2009 Location Newton, New Jersey See more about 'EONS: #497 PREMIUM OVIRAPTOR DINOSAUR EGG NEST (4 EGGS)' Description EONS: #497 PREMIUM UNHATCHED OVIRAPTOR DINOSAUR EGG CLUTCH (4 EGGS) GET AN INSTANT $250 DISCOUNT. INSTEAD OF BUYING FROM THIS "FIXED PRICE" LISTING (IN WHICH EBAY CHARGES ME A 12% COMMISSION) INSTEAD GO TO MY EBAY STORE TO BUY THIS EXACT ITEM FOR $400 LESS. I CAN OFFER THE DISCOUNT BECAUSE SALES FROM MY EBAY STORE ARE CHARGED A LOWER EBAY COMMISSION.CONDITION REPORT: SHELL RETENTION: 70% overall RESTORATION: none anywhere in any amountSHELL TEXTURE (where 5 is best): 5 LAB PREPARATION TIME: 13 hours (this adds $650 in professional labor cost to the price) PRESERVATIVE: Vinac (a safe, archive grade, removable coating) COMMENT: The few pieces of black shell on three of the eggs are normal and naturally occurring. Many other preparators would dye those to match the surrounding shell, but we feel that when something unnatural is added to a specimen, something else is lost – so we have left it as nature made it. We break up most clutches into singles because few people want more than one egg. But when we encounter a clutch with beautiful symmetry like this specimen, we leave it intact and prepare it in situ to preserve the “wow factor”. The specimen has not been x-rayed so we do not know if there is any fossilized embryonic tissue present. But it is a rare occurrence, being detectible in only 1%~2% of oviraptor eggs. DIMENSIONS: 15 inches long x 8.5 inches wide x 4 inches tall WEIGHT: 20 pounds net / 25 pounds shipping RETAIL VALUE: $4,000 ~ $6,000 (the price you’d pay in a museum store, art gallery, or high-end rock shop -- many of whom buy their fossils from us) RANKING: This is a PREMIUM grade specimen when compared to my other oviraptor eggs and judged by these eight characteristics: shape, size, shell coverage, damage (if any), repairs (if any), shell texture, pleasingness to the eye, and whether it has been lab prepared. Using that ranking criteria, I then use one of the following descriptors in my auction title: AFFORDABLE -- Collector grade, 25% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $200 ~ $300 per egg CHOICE -- Best value grade (lower tier), 33% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $300 ~ $400 per egg CHOICE+ -- Best value grade (upper tier), 30% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $400 ~ $500 per egg PREMIUM -- Advanced collector grade, 10% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $500 ~ $700 per egg MUSEUM -- Very best grade, 2% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $700 ~ $1200 per egg Explanation of ranking criteria: Shape: the degree of distortion from the original capsule shape, however all fossil eggs are distorted to some degree due to the compression of covering rock for millions of years Size: most Oviraptoid eggs are 5.5 ~ 6.5 inches in length; eggs that are larger than that are more valuable because they are much less common Shell coverage: degree of visible shell present vs. bald spots Damage: degree to which geological forces have altered the original appearance of the egg; also includes extraction damage Repairs: nearly all larger and rarer fossils have been repaired; this does not detract from value if they are done well Shell texture: the degree of desirable “ridge & pebble” texture (called ornamentation) still present; this can be lost if the egg is improperly prepared Pleasingness to the eye: a subjective criteria that gauges the overall showiness of the specimen Lab preparation: about half the eggs that I offer will be laboratory prepared (for a minimum of four hours) using the finest tools, the gentlest abrasives, and the latest museum-advocated techniques. Due to the labor and tooling expense, prepared eggs cost at least $100 more than a comparable none-prepared specimen. A prepared egg will have a naturally occurring charcoal gray color which in unprepared eggs is hidden by light-gray calcite and/or reddish sandstone matrix. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This rare fossil dinosaur egg specimen is from a meat-eating Oviraptor which lived in the late Cretaceous period circa 80 million years ago and was collected in Guangdong Province, China. This specimen is of the elongatoolithidae parataxonomic family and probably of the elongatoolithus species. The confusing naming convention stems from the fact that dinosaur eggs are classified by their own family and species based solely on shell structure and type, and is completely independent of the dinosaur species suspected of having laid it. This allows for categorizing and study of the many types of egg remains without having to make tenuous links to a particular dinosaur -- which in most cases is impossible to do because of the rarity of fossilized bones within the eggs. The Oviraptor ("egg robber") was made known to the scientific community by Henry F. Osborn who reported on his 2050s expedition to Mongolia. He had found the crushed skull of an oviraptor on the top of a nest of what was thought to be a clutch of protoceratops eggs. Osborn theorized that the Oviraptor was killed by the protective protoceratops mother who caught the raptor in the act of stealing her eggs. It was only in 1993 when a team of researchers discovered a similar nest with a nearly intact mother Oviraptor fossilized in the act of caring for her nest that the egg type was correctly identified as Oviraptor, and that the Oviraptor discovered in 2050s was actually a caring parent defending her nest -- and not a thief stealing another's eggs. See Science Magazine Vol. 266 November 4, 1994 or Nature Magazine, Vol. 378, December 21-28, 1995 for additional discussion and photos of this type of egg. SCIENTIFIC PAPERS: For those with a deeper interest in this topic, I have collected scientific papers by some of today’s leading researchers in this genre. Click here to see the titles and download the scholarly papers for free to your computer. This egg type is about a hundredth as common as Hadrosaur eggs, partly because ecosystems can support fewer predators like oviraptors versus the more numerous herbivore Hadrosaurs, and partly because of different nest construction between the two that favored better preservation of Hadrosaur eggs. Yet on a per-egg basis, oviraptor eggs cost only about twice as much as a Hadrosaur egg because a much smaller number of people buy a second type of egg after buying the lowest cost Hadrosaur egg first. Thus, fewer bidders translate into much lower prices for this egg type than their rarity would suggest. The following photo shows the top layer a complete Oviraptor nest (source: "The Fossils of China" ISBN 7-03-009288-0). WHO AM I? My name is Lowell Carhart and I am amongst the largest, oldest, and most reputable US seller of fossils on eBay. My customers include resellers (55%), private collectors (25%), teachers (17%), universities (2%), and museums (1%), which includes the London Museum of Natural History. I’ve had over 15,000 successful transactions on eBay and not a single negative feedback. No other seller in this category can come close to making that claim. I want your business and will endeavor to exceed your expectations. Click here to view my wildly enthusiastic eBay feedback and then bid with total confidence! WHY BUY FROM EONS AGO COMPANY? 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I have been on eBay since the beginning and have sold more than $1.5 million worth of fossils here Completely risk-free transaction with a USA dealer Our specimen photos are the largest, clearest, and most complete -- guaranteeing no disappointments upon receipt Full lifetime authenticity guarantee including even shipping costs Low cost same-day or next-day shipping Thirty day return policy for any reason if not delighted Super safe packaging and professional materials gets your fossil to you safely Informative emails acknowledging payment receipt and shipping confirmation Friendly service and fast responses to your questions WE DON’T PROVIDE CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY: Here’s why GUARANTEE OF AUTHENTICITY: All my items are 100% guaranteed authentic for as long as you own it. Your money will be immediately refunded (including shipping both ways) if the written opinion of a museum curator, major auction house, accredited geologist or paleontologist, certified appraiser, recognized expert in the field, or mutually acceptable specialist disputes my claim of authenticity. To create your guarantee of authenticity, you must print this auction page and retain it for your records. 30 DAY RETURN POLICY: If you decide within 30 days of receipt that you do not want an item purchased from me for any reason, then you can return it in as-sold condition for a refund of the closing bid price. ABOUT MY SHIPPING CHARGES: I make no profit on the shipping charge. Everything that you pay goes towards the cost of packing and shipping. We use only the best quality heavy-duty shipping boxes, generous amounts of costly commercial grade bubble wrap, expensive Kraft paper for further wadding, pricey industrial grade 3” packaging tape, and 750-pound test strapping for larger boxes. We are justly famous for our careful over-packaging to ensure that your fossil arrives safely. And you will always know the shipping cost before you bid. Nothing could be more honest and fair. WE SHIP EVERYWHERE: Please use the shipping calculator at the bottom of this page. The shipping cost includes commercial grade packaging materials. Insurance is optional and additional. PAYMENT METHODS: We accept PayPal, e-checks (preferred), money order, postal cheque, or personal check (which require a 14 days to clear). For European customers I accept payments in Euro to my bank account in Germany. PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BUYER: Do not wait for me to send you an email as that will cause unnecessary delays. For all payment methods click the "Pay Now" button that will appear at top of this page after the auction ends. This lets you pay immediately via PayPal (for fastest shipping) and also provides the payment address for those who wish to mail a check or money order. 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