Everything Dinosaur Recommends – Mike’s Minerals and Fossils AKA “The Fossil Zone”

At this time of year, what with Christmas approaching, team members at Everything Dinosaur get asked to recommend a reliable, professional source of fossils and other Earth science related materials.  We work with a number of specialists and we are happy to pass on contact details to collectors and the mums and dads of young dinosaur fans keen to start their own fossil collection.

The “Fossil Zone”

Unfortunately, as the popularity of fossil collecting grows, and the prices paid for certain rare items increases, so we have come across a number of somewhat dubious practices, in fact there is quite a cottage industry of “doctored” fossils.  For example, fragments of different fossil teeth glued together to make one single specimen or “topping and tailing” as we refer to it, the practice of taking shed head-shield (cephalon) of trilobites and joining this piece to the thorax and the tail (pygidium) to make a complete trilobite fossil.

Even great naturalists such as David Attenborough can be hoodwinked.  Once during a filming trip to Morocco, he took the opportunity to visit a shop selling locally found trilobite fossils.  He was persuaded to part with quite a substantial sum of money for what he was told was an exceptionally rare piece – two trilobites preserved in a mating position.  It is only after Sir David had left the shop with his purchase that he remembered that these arthropods did not actually need physical contact to mate.  A careful examination revealed that two separate fossils had been skilfully and very carefully stuck together to make the single exhibit.

We admire the skill of such preparators, but if you want to purchase fossils and other objects, we would recommend Mike’s Minerals and Fossils.

This Lyme Regis (Dorset) based business is run by Mike Jeffries  and the Jeffries family.  Mike is a very  knowledgeable expert on British fossils and is always willing to help.

Amazing Fossils for Sale

A reliable source of fossils.

He started the business as a hobby in 1995, selling fossils, minerals and jewellery and if you are ever in Lyme Regis, look out for Mike’s shop on Drakes Way – it is well worth a visit.

So, for a reliable and friendly fossil shop, Everything Dinosaur is happy to recommend Mike Jeffries.

Happy fossil collecting.

For further information and advice: Email Everything Dinosaur.