EONS: #469 HUGE CITIPATI (CARNIVORE) DINOSAUR EGG

EONS: #469 HUGE CITIPATI (CARNIVORE) DINOSAUR EGG, 6.75 INCHES LONG CONDITION REPORT: SHELL RETENTION (TOP HALF): 55% SHELL RETENTION (BOTTOM HALF): 45% RESTORATION: none anyw in any amount SHELL TEXTURE (w 5 is best): 5+ PALEO LAB PREPARATION TIME: 2.5 hours OUR PALEO LAB LOCATION: Sparta, New Jersey PRESERVATIVE: Vinac (a safe, archive grade, removable coating) COMMENT: The texture (properly called "ornamentation") is absolutely perfect. About half the shell is present and some additional pieces are most assuredly still embedded in the matrix as a result of falling into the egg. The shell's coloration is absolutely 100% natural since we do not dye or color our eggs ever. Nothing was added to this specimen and nothing was taken away. DIMENSIONS: 6.75 inches (17 cm) long x 3 inches wide x 2.25 inches high WEIGHT: 2.5 pounds net / 4.5 pounds shipping RETAIL VALUE: $1,200 ~ $2,400 (the price you'd pay in a museum store, art gallery, or high-end auction house -- many of whom buy their fossils from us) RANKING: This is a CHOICE+ grade specimen when compared to my other oviraptoroid 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: $250 ~ $350 per egg CHOICE -- Best value grade (lower tier), 33% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $350 ~ $450 per egg CHOICE+ -- Best value grade (upper tier), 30% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $450 ~ $600 per egg PREMIUM -- Advanced collector grade, 10% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $600 ~ $800 per egg MUSEUM -- Very best grade, 2% of my specimens, estimated auction price: $800 ~ $1200 per eggExplanation 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: All of the following text in this section is verbatim from Wikipeida : Citipati is a genus of oviraptorid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now Mongolia (specifically, the Djadokhta Formation of Ukhaa Tolgod, in the Gobi Desert). It is one of the best-known oviraptorids, thanks to a number of well-preserved skeletons, including several specimens found in brooding positions atop nests of eggs. These nesting specimens have helped to solidify the link between non-avian dinosaurs and birds. The largest Citipati were emu-sized animals and, at about 3 meters (9 ft) long, were the largest ovir... read more