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 Unfortunately
if you're going to find fossils yourself you won't find the most
beautiful or most rare fossils immediately. Many collectors expand
their collection by buying fossils. But there are some risks. The
fossil you want to buy, Is it real? What's the right price?
Very nice are replica's of fossils, but the buyer should know
they are replica's and not real fossils. For example the picture
to the right is a replica. Unfortunately, they are often sold as
real fossils.
It's very important that you know the exact location of the
fossil. If you don't the fossil is worth much less.
If you're going to a shop in order to buy fossils, you can see
what you get. In many places are fossil-shops. Totally different
it becomes when you're going to buy fossils over the internet. the
only thing you see there is a picture and some description. Below
is a list of the most occuring fakes and some things you have to
watch for when you want to buy fossils.
Lots of Chinese dinosaur-eggs are offered on eBay. There is not
much chance that they are real fossils.
On the left you see a picture of some fake dinosaur-eggs, offered
on ebay. Built of concrete and resin.
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Casts
of trilobites are often recognizable by the absence of the shell.
The fake trilobite to the right is made of clay. 
This fake trilobite from Morocco is made of a plastic cast mounted
on top of a piece of stone. Underneath the cast there is usually
a hollow space. There is also often a slight difference in coloration
of the top and bottom piece of the stone. 
Tips: