2264
Dinosaur Gembone: Purple, Red & Gold Agatized, Fossilized Bone - Rare! [204408]
Currency:USD
Category:Collectibles / Rocks, Fossils & Minerals
Start Price:250.00 USD
Estimated At:500.00 - 5,000.00 USD
CURRENT BID
0.00USD+ applicable fees & taxes.
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Live Online Auction Starts In
2025 Nov 01 @ 08:00 (UTC-07:00 : PDT/MST)
FINAL AUCTION RECORD The Auctioneer’s podium notes serve as the final, legally binding record of the auction results, superseding any electronic bidding records. See Terms and Conditions
Dinosaur gembone, also known as agatized or fossilized dinosaur bone, is a rare and highly prized material formed when the porous structure of dinosaur bone is replaced by silica-rich minerals such as agate, chalcedony, jasper or opal. This piece is polished on the cut or broken end to reveal the wonderful internal cell structure. It has rich red tones, with hints of blue, green and gold. Measures approximately 3.5-4 inches in diameter x 2 inches in length and our A.I. assisted research indicates this is the left distal end of an ulna bone, as indicated by the facet of the uncut end, the groove for the extensor tendon what appears to be the styloid process, a small but noticeable ridge approximate 1" from the uncut end and other anatomical features. There is a diagonal indentation approx. .375 inches in depth crossing the uncut end of the bone.
Artificial Intelligence analyzed all the available information and even without knowing the length of this bone, it determined this bone likely belonged to a sauropodomorph of the group that includes the long-necked sauropods and their ancestors. Sauropodomorphs' arm anatomy have distinct ulnar characteristics and the early non-sauropod sauropodomorphs, such as Plateosaurus and Antetonitrus, have a robust ulna with a shallow radial fossa indicative of a stout, weight-bearing bone. Other possible candidates include herbivores from the Late Cretaceous period, like Edmontosaurus or Triceratops, from which bones of a similar size have been found in the Hell Creek Formation. The closest resemblance to this bone that WE discovered with our inferior (?) human-brain-generated research was in the article referenced below on the Plateosaurus trossingensis, which is....mostly consistent with the A.I. determination. The Plateosaurus trossingensis, however, lived in Europe during the Late Triassic epoch, and is one of the earliest discovered and best-known dinosaurs, yet, agatized bones from this animal have never been documented in the prolific records of fossils found in Triassic-era rock formations in Central Europe, such as the Trossingen Formation. The geological conditions in these European deposits have not been found to produce specific agatized preservation seen in fossils from the American West. Further, many studies report that adults of this species grew to nearly 26 feet long and walked on two hind limbs, indicating these giants did NOT bare weight on the forelimbs, factoid that disagrees with A.I.'s assessment about dinosaurs with a "robust" ulna bone such as this. Perhaps Gemini's research skipped past one of the most important and commonly discussed anatomical details in paleontological studies. When we asked A.I. specifically about gembones from the trossingensis, we were given additional contradictory and inconsistent answers including: "While it is highly likely that a fossilized Plateosaurus trossingensis ulna bone exists, finding one that has been agatized is exceptionally rare and unlikely" and "The species Plateosaurus trossingensis is well-represented in the fossil record, with hundreds of specimens found primarily in Late Triassic bonebeds in Germany and Switzerland. Given the large number of finds, it is almost certain that fossilized ulna bones exist in museum collections or private holdings" and finally, "While a fossilized ulna is a certainty, an agatized ulna is not. An agatized Plateosaurus bone is not known in scientific literature or collections due to the geographical and geological mismatch between the species' origin and the rare conditions required for agatized preservation." As far as the second most likely species provided by A.I., "An agatized Antetonitrus ulna bone is a type of fossil that exists in theory, but there is no public record of a discovered or sold specimen. Most paleontological sites that produce agatized fossils are in the American West, while all known Antetonitrus fossils originate from South Africa." So there is your straight answer from humanities soon to be ONLY source of "intelligent" information - the physical features of this gembone match two species of dinosaurs, but it is pretty much impossible for gembones from either of the candidates to exist. Thank you, A.I. In light of this information, we choose to believe that this is an EXTREMELY RARE OR UNIQUE, NEW DISCOVERY!!
Which dinosaur left us it's beautiful agatized ulna fragment? We do not know and highly recommend additional research from a HUMAN Paleontologist. On a side note: Silicon Valley now admits that A.I. will NEVER improve from a 25% error rate due to "hallucinations".
Whichever extinct giant left us this amazing fossil, it is a fascinating find and beautiful Dinosaur gembone specimen. Ref: Dupuis, S.F.J., Bestwick, J., Hansen, D.M. et al. Osteology and histology of a Plateosaurus trossingensis (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha) from the Upper Triassic of Switzerland with an advanced chronic pathology. Swiss J Palaeontol 144, 27 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00368-3
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Auction Location:
3555 Airway Drive Suite 308, Reno, Nevada, 89511, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview:
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Nevada State Sales Tax
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NSST |
8.375% |
Nevada Sales Tax |
| CSST |
8% |
California Sales Tax |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
25% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
Pick-up is available at our Reno office by scheduling online via the link in the post-auction email notification or by calling our office at 775-851-1859. 24 hours notice is required.
Shipments will be processed in the order invoices are paid. Please be patient; about 200 invoices are paid the first day. Please contact us ASAP with any special instructions. Very large orders or orders with oversized, overweight, oddly shaped or fragile items will require additional processing time.
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Live Auction conducted by Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC (HWAC)
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BE ADVISED: Auction participation through the live Internet bidding site is not 100% foolproof. The technology for this process is always changing, and the operation of it and the corresponding Internet connectivity issues are far beyond our control. Some folks have attempted to use the live Internet bidding process as their primary method of bidding, and have been quite successful. Others have failed completely. Depending upon your computer, server, host, and other factors, Internet signals may be delayed, such that bids may not be received in time. We cannot be held responsible for these delays, or for the lack of placed bids in a timely manner, or any other factors leading to unaccepted bids that are far beyond our control. Bidders should always have a backup plan for lots they highly desire. Live participation is best, followed by phone participation. We will not reopen lots for missed bids.
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From: to: Increment:
$1 $95 $5
$100 $190 $10
$200 $475 $25
$500 $1,450 $50
$1,500 $3,400 $100
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$30,000 up $1000
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16. BID REDUCTION: All winning absentee bids will be reduced, if necessary, to the next bidding increment up from the last competing bid, as long as the minimum bid requirement has been met. For example, if you submit an absentee bid of $1000 and the next highest competing bid is $250, then you will win the lot for $275.
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19. All stock certificates, checks, warrants, and other financial documents sold herein are sold as antiquities, and have no financial, securities, or public trading value whatsoever.
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29. This sale is being held under the laws of the State of Nevada.
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