Cave Formation on Sale on EBay

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Postby Scott McCrea » Mar 12, 2007 3:40 pm

Reported.
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Postby Mustard Devil » Mar 12, 2007 5:06 pm

reported.
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Postby Jonathan » Apr 3, 2007 9:40 pm

After reading this post and several others like it, i spent some time on ebay finding illegally listed cave formations and i found too many to make me comfortable (granted 1 would make me mad but there were tons of them).

I'm not sure what can be done about formations from other countries (ie. china, india, mexico) but there were many listed blatently stated in the listing they were taken from caves in AZ, NM, KY, etc.

an example

this guy is trying to sell a stalagmite from mammoth cave in KY for $50k. please report him

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stalagmite-National ... dZViewItem
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Postby NZcaver » Apr 10, 2007 6:39 pm

So it seems our old friend "alexandercory" is at it again. :doh:

-Large-Rare-"Milky White"Limestone Stalactite-

Image

He's now got a little smarter, no doubt as a result of some people contacting and/or reporting him. The listing used to say:

Rare -Large- "Milky White" Limestone Stactite Specimen in unbelieveable condition. Removed many years ago from a natural, "well known" Public cave in New Mexico. Measures over Half a Foot Long x 1 Inch in Diameter. Avery Heavy, and very Fine Limestone Stalactite Specimen.

But the same item is now relisted with a subtle difference:

Rare -Large- "Milky White" Limestone Stactite Specimen in unbelieveable condition. Removed many years ago from a natural, cave and Purchased from a Rock & Gem Shop in South Dakota . Measures over Half a Foot Long x 1 Inch in Diameter. Avery Heavy, and very Fine Limestone Stalactite Specimen.

Clever little b'stard, isn't he? You'd think if he was that clever, he'd at least know how to spell and use proper grammar.

I reported him again :nono: (because of the item, not the grammar!) :laughing: Not that I think it will do much good anyway. eBay's policy on this states:

Artifacts, cave formations (speleothems, stalactites, and stalagmites) and grave-related items that are protected under federal laws, such as The Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988, and the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act are not permitted on eBay.
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Postby Jonathan » Apr 12, 2007 8:50 am

reported, again. glad to say that one from mammoth cave was removed...
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Postby wendy » Jun 27, 2007 8:55 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mammoth-Cave-Rock-C ... dZViewItem

auction says this are formations from Mammoth :doh:

time to report them
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Postby Adam Craig » Jun 28, 2007 7:14 am

I reported them to Ebay and sent the Super of MCNP a link to the auction as an "FYI".
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Postby Komebeaux » Jun 28, 2007 10:27 am

wendy wrote:http://cgi.ebay.com/Mammoth-Cave-Rock-Collection-Geode-Stalactite-Mineral_W0QQitemZ150135706959QQihZ005QQcategoryZ3225QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

auction says this are formations from Mammoth :doh:

time to report them


Do you think these could be some from the ransacking of FCCC back in the 90's?

Good that you pointed the NPS in this individual's direction.
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Postby wendy » Jun 28, 2007 11:22 am

ya i e-mailed them too :kewl:
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Postby CaveGimp » Jun 28, 2007 12:05 pm

Looks like it has been removed by E-bay.
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Postby Adam Craig » Jun 28, 2007 12:21 pm

Good!! I reported several other auctions too. Nine of them, just today!! :rant:
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Postby wendy » Jun 28, 2007 6:03 pm

I get on there and report them every other week or so. The ones I don't report are ones that the seller says they came from other countries, as I don't know if that is covered by any cave protection laws in the US. At least we finally ran off the girl with the 120lb piece of cave popcorn from Carlsbad area. She was getting sneaky putting it under crystals and not minerals.
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Postby kasi » Aug 10, 2007 10:25 am

Item number: 190133065580
Item number: 230160181611

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Postby wendy » Dec 13, 2007 2:44 am

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0189745511

This one the guy says he found the formation in a pile of rocks in Indian Echo Caverns in PA. I called them and left a voice mail letting them know about the auction and also reported it to ebay.
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Postby Teresa » Dec 13, 2007 9:21 am

Maybe he did. Show caves remove formations for variety of reasons, including breakage, digging new trail, and to meet safety requirements after cave inspections. They used to sell such cast offs in their gift shops (it's still legal to do so in many states) but now that some can't they have to pitch them somewhere.
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