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Fossils: where to buy

Fossil shops sell what most people cannot legally dig themselves. In the United States, fossils collected on private land with the owner's permission can be bought and sold, but federal land is a different story. On BLM land you may collect common invertebrates and plants in reasonable amounts for your own collection, never to sell; bones, teeth and footprints of animals with a backbone need a research permit; and national parks allow no collecting at all.

So the first question for a dealer is where a fossil comes from. A trustworthy dealer tells you the locality and the age, says whether a specimen has been repaired, restored or assembled from more than one animal, and is clear when a piece is a cast or replica. Ask which country it comes from, too, since many countries forbid selling or exporting fossils taken from public land.

A good fossil shop is also a way into the hobby: ask the staff where people collect legally nearby, or about local clubs that run trips.

11 shops across the US that sell fossils. Each one links to its own website, so you can compare them one by one.

AllShips nationwideAlabamaArizona

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