COLD DARK ROOM

CarolM

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Great (beach) pictures - I’ll need to do some Google Earth looks there. So, where’s a good name/location/beach name to zoom in on? Xmas lights still up? Interesting Water Crisis banners too. Tks for sharing.
Google Milnerton beach. We weren't sure if the lights would still be up. But they were although it looks like they used the opportunity to use the lights for some drought advertising.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Here are photos of my turtle "fossil," Adam. I bought it when i was working in New Zealand just over 20 years ago.
It weighs 9.5 lb (4.3 kg?), is 10 inches/25 cm long and 9 inches/23 cm wide at the widest point. The black "scutes" on top are a little crumbly, and when I pick it up today, I heard a slight creaking sound under one of the black "scutes." I've read that counterfeiters will attach alligator parts to the fossils to try and make them look real, and have always wondered about the scutes. @Tidgy's Dad

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My gut-instinct and experience say to me that this is real, though i cannot be certain without examining it.
If so it is extremely rare and valuable. :):tort:
 

CarolM

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Yup!
Rather beautiful, too. :<3:
And not crowded, either.

Glad that you did!
Most appreciated.
Thanks for posting. :)
Well I thought that you guys needed some warm pictures to tide you over during your winter months. Well at least those of you experiencing very cold weather. Sorry Adam that probably does not include you however I am sure you can enjoy the beach part.
 

Moozillion

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My gut-instinct and experience say to me that this is real, though i cannot be certain without examining it.
If so it is extremely rare and valuable. :):tort:
How do I find someone who can look at it and decide for me? We have a large university not that far from us- would a professor of paleontology be able to tell me?
I am mostly interested in finding a new home for it, whether sold to an individual or donated to a university.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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Well I thought that you guys needed some warm pictures to tide you over during your winter months. Well at least those of you experiencing very cold weather. Sorry Adam that probably does not include you however I am sure you can enjoy the beach part.
Indeed.
For us it's pretty cold now, so i'm staying indoors.
We also had a lot of much needed rain this week, though it's stopped today which is a shame.
Yes, the beach is lovely.
I'm a long way from the sea.
 

CarolM

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Here are photos of my turtle "fossil," Adam. I bought it when i was working in New Zealand just over 20 years ago.
It weighs 9.5 lb (4.3 kg?), is 10 inches/25 cm long and 9 inches/23 cm wide at the widest point. The black "scutes" on top are a little crumbly, and when I pick it up today, I heard a slight creaking sound under one of the black "scutes." I've read that counterfeiters will attach alligator parts to the fossils to try and make them look real, and have always wondered about the scutes. @Tidgy's Dad

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Wow. No pyramiding there. [emoji1]
 

CarolM

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How do I find someone who can look at it and decide for me? We have a large university not that far from us- would a professor of paleontology be able to tell me?
I am mostly interested in finding a new home for it, whether sold to an individual or donated to a university.
That would be very generous of you if it is real and you donate it. Restores my faith in humanity that there are still people out there who can be so kind.
 

Tidgy's Dad

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How do I find someone who can look at it and decide for me? We have a large university not that far from us- would a professor of paleontology be able to tell me?
I am mostly interested in finding a new home for it, whether sold to an individual or donated to a university.
Any palaeontologist worth his salt should be able to tell at a glance.
Museums with a fossil expert are usually the go to place for fossil id, it's part of their remit, but a uni paleontologist should be able to tell if it's real or not.
Or some really good close up pictures, especially of the scute edges posted on Fossil Forum where we have several people who should be able to help, more knowledgeable in fossil Chelonia that I am.
 

CarolM

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Indeed.
For us it's pretty cold now, so i'm staying indoors.
We also had a lot of much needed rain this week, though it's stopped today which is a shame.
Yes, the beach is lovely.
I'm a long way from the sea.
Send some pics of the rain next time it rains then I can drool over something that we need. [emoji6]
 

Tidgy's Dad

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That would be very generous of you if it is real and you donate it. Restores my faith in humanity that there are still people out there who can be so kind.
Our Fossil Forum has a badge, like the 5 year member and so on here, that shows the people who've donated to science. And there's a whole sub section devoted to people's museum donations.
Thankfully, a lot of people still do this. :<3:
 

Moozillion

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Any palaeontologist worth his salt should be able to tell at a glance.
Museums with a fossil expert are usually the go to place for fossil id, it's part of their remit, but a uni paleontologist should be able to tell if it's real or not.
Or some really good close up pictures, especially of the scute edges posted on Fossil Forum where we have several people who should be able to help, more knowledgeable in fossil Chelonia that I am.
Thanks!
 

Moozillion

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Our Fossil Forum has a badge, like the 5 year member and so on here, that shows the people who've donated to science. And there's a whole sub section devoted to people's museum donations.
Thankfully, a lot of people still do this. :<3:
Do I just google "Fossil Forum," Adam?
 
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