SPECTACULAR RARE COMPLETE WOOLLY RHINOCEROS FOSSIL RHINO SKULL FROM BELGIUM *LMX192

Product Description

This rare fossil is from Europe and is legal to own, sell and ship to anywhere in the world.  It was not illegally exported out of Russian (Siberia) like all the Siberian fossils on the market.  Shipping Siberian fossils across country borders risks seizure of the shipment without reimbursement.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3757538/Photographs-reveal-illegal-mining-selling-woolly-mammoth-tusks-Russia.html

Found years ago, deep in the river gravels of Southern Belgium, we proudly offer this amazing signature specimen.  It is a complete skull from one of the most famous beasts of the last Ice Age - the Woolly Rhinoceros.  For the past 22 years, we have been working extensively with Ice Age fossils from Europe and in all that time, we have NEVER seen a fossil Rhino skull come from Belgium, only fragments.  In addition, we have NEVER seen a Woolly Rhinoceros skull have such dramatic structures on the nose and forehead where the horns were attached.  We speculate this was due to the formation and attachment of a MUCH LARGER set of horns than typical which would explain the need for a structurally stronger attachment point and active growth for the large horns. 

While a fossil Woolly rhino skull from ANY location is rare when found of this level of preservation, finding one from EUROPE, not the Siberian Tundra as most have been found, makes this an especially note-worthy piece.  Woolly Rhinoceros skulls from Siberia (Russia) are much more prevalent than European specimens, although they are illegal to export despite what some tell you.  There is no such thing as legal documents (see above link) - these are always forged by the diggers from Russia, and given to the complicit dealers selling these illegal fossils.  Nevertheless, they are still finding fossil skulls of this quality and completeness in Siberia but no longer in Europe, making this skull considerably more valuable and scarce - and legal as no laws regarding European fossils restrict their sale or export.  Because of this, the prospect for market value appreciation and its investment potential are tremendous.  Complete European Woolly Rhino fossil skulls can now only come from old, private collections as this one has because since at least the last 25 years, the dredge equipment used, grinds up all the fossils with the gravel unlike the older equipment that was non-destructive.  This MUSEUM-CLASS specimen was acquired from an elderly Belgian private collector who had it in his collection since the 1960s.

It has been DECADES that fossils like this have been discovered in the once productive gravel mine dredges that operated on the rivers of western Europe.  Today, the machinery brings up the gravel (and fossils) by suction dredge and all the material is ground up and destroyed before being deposited in the barges.  In the past, the dredges operated by bucket so it was possible to find some amazing specimens but this has not been the case for well over a decade as of today.  The permanent change in river dredge technology has made these rare fossils even more rare as present-day discoveries like this are impossible

This large and impressive specimen is truly a breath-taking display fossil.  There is minor repair and restoration as noted above, to the overall skull and jaw.  The lower jaw is not the original jaw (river gravel fossils are always found as solitary finds, not associated) but is authentic with restoration noted.

This is a rare, life-time offering and specimens like this can only come from older collections due to the unfortunate change in the destructive machinery used today by which these fossils were once found.  The emphasis on the European origin AND LEGALITY, adds to its extreme scarcity.

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