Skeletons and teeth of dinosaurs being sold online or confiscated at customs illustrate the hidden and mysterious aspects of the profitable dinosaur remains market beyond public auctions.
Menton’s customs authorities discovered dinosaur family teeth from an extinct species in a cargo truck traveling without proper documentation between Spain and Italy.
Teeth from marine reptiles that are over 70 million years old from Morocco have unique fossilization and sedimentation, stated AFP Pierre-Elie Moullé, a conservation assistant at the Regional Prehistory Museum in Menton.
The specialist consulted by customs mentioned that it is a common item from Morocco that is illegally traded and sold.
AFP Jeremy Xido, the American director of the documentary “The Bones,” mentioned the existence of a food chain in the business.
In Morocco, there is a very impoverished individual who gathers fossils, sometimes under risky circumstances, in order to provide for his family, according to Xido.
“There are individuals, Moroccans or foreigners, who have the means to purchase large quantities of goods and transport them to global markets, whether through legal or illegal means,” he highlighted.
Origin of items
“Just by doing some online research, you can see that there is a high volume of sales that may not be legal,” Pierre-Elie Moullé points out.
The marine reptile skeleton was priced at approximately 37,000 euros, excluding transportation expenses.
After the initial interaction with the owner, the price goes up to 45,000 euros (equivalent to 272.8 thousand reais based on the current exchange rate).
The seller’s conversation concludes when they ask themselves if Morocco can assert ownership of the skeleton upon purchase.
There are numerous unregulated aspects in this industry, including the delayed regulation of the market for public and media auctions.
“We never discussed the origins of the items being sold when I began my career,” stated Alexandre Giquello, the head of Drouot, a French auction house, in an interview with AFP.
The possessor’s trustworthiness has been upheld. If someone took the item unlawfully, they failed in their duties as a seller. The initial reference to origin in French law dates back to 2012.
Nicolas Cage, the American actor, handed back a dinosaur skull in 2015 that had been unlawfully taken from Mongolia. He had bought it at an auction in Beverly Hills for around $276,000 in 2007 (currently valued at 1.5 million reais).
“Jurassic Park” – “Jurassic Park”
This exchange highlights the enduring allure of dinosaurs, capturing a historical narrative that sparks imagination and draws interest from schools, museums, and individuals seeking to possess fragments of this paleontological legacy, according to Pierre-Elie Moullé.
Not everyone purchases it even though everyone appreciates it, notes Alexandre Giquello. Alongside considerations like resources, location, and maintenance, collectors seek out extraordinary pieces.
The auctioneer states that having 10 individuals worldwide interested in a sizable dinosaur skeleton would be significant.
“It is a unique, affluent, and occasionally growing customer base for new technologies,” he further comments.
The auctioneer mentioned that most buyers were American with some Asians present, all of whom were interested in ‘Jurassic Park’.
What will be the fate of the confiscated items in Menton?
“This will be determined by discussions between the customs administration and likely the Ministry of Culture. Typically, they are sent back to the country where the goods originated from,” stated Samantha Verduron, an AFP assistant to the regional customs director in Nice.