Quote:(I just looked up stalactite and stalagmite on Ebay. Of the 24 items IDed as stalagmites, only 4 are actually what cavers would normally call a stalagmite, and only 1 is IDed as from a cave in the US. Of the 42 items IDed as stalactites, 9 are what we would call stal (not all stalactites) none from US caves.
Alledged cave formations taken from mines or 'vugs' in the US are not protected. Cave formations taken from places outside the US are not protected by US law. Ebay seems to be doing its job in vetting the overwhelming majority of rocks put up for sale under those two names. To be classed as a protected item, a cave formation has to either be stolen property, or taken from a cave without the owner's permission in the US where a cave law is in effect, and the owner doesn't have the written permission to possess the item. This includes items taken without written permission from federal and state lands where laws apply.
Keep up the good work, but know what you ID before you start in on Ebay.)
(NEW YORK)
)"SUPER RARE and HARD-TO-GET vintage CAVE FORMATION 14-1/4 inch tall STALAGMITE, a type of SPELEOTHEM that forms on cavern floors, under the STALACTITES which hang from the ceiling above -- eventually they may join to form a column. I am an experienced caver and have been thru many of the caves in the Albany/Hudson/Schoharie region of New York State. I know there are hardly any formations of this size to be found, accept in the largest of caverns. Speleothems are formed by minerals slowly deposited by dripping/flowing water OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS -- they grow about 1mm per year -- and so IT REALLY SUCKS TO REMOVE THEM. However, I am not responsible for removing this formation -- or any other, for that matter. Someone else did the damage, I found it at a yard sale, and here it is for auction. I have no eye deer where THIS STALAGMITE came from. It seems to be made of your basic CALCIUM CARBONATE. There's some evidence of internal CALCITE CRYSTALS visible along bottom edge where the formation was cut. Has some external encrustation -- dark and light -- of who knows what. A few cracks appear; all seem old and stable (no signs of breaking/gluing). One tiny chip has come off side, where a number of cracks intersect. Thin layers of growth/deposit are visible at the concave drip sight at very top. Lots of very intersting, subtile and translucent colors: whites, pinks, greys, some dark veins, &c... Measures roughly 5 x 9 inches across base. Unpacked, the stalagmite weighs 25 pounds.
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SHIPPING by FEDEX HOME DELIVERY. You MUST provide a RESIDENTIAL or BUSINESS delivery address NO P.O. BOXes or &c... (please read below).
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EBAY POLICIES-(Prohibited and restricted items ― What items can and cannot be listed. eBay’s restrictions are often based on country and state laws, including copyright or trademark laws.=== "However, many restrictions involve the sale of controversial or sensitive items and are not necessarily prohibited by law."=== The limitations are a result of input by the eBay Community. Before you list your item, it is a good idea to review eBay's Prohibited and Restricted items policy to see if it is on the list of what may not be sold on eBay.)
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.
Please follow the general guidelines in the ”Some Examples” section when listing related items on eBay.
Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including.
Federal Cave Resources Protection Act of 1988/Section 7-Sec. 7. PROHIBITED ACTS AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
(a) PROHIBITED ACTS.—
(1) Any person who, without prior authorization from the Secretary, knowingly destroys, disturbs, defaces, mars, alters, removes or harms any significant cave or alters the free movement of any animal or plant life into or out of any significant cave located on Federal lands, or enters a significant cave with the intention of committing any act described in this paragraph shall be punished in accordance with subsection (b).
(2) Any person who possesses, consumes, sells, barters or exchanges, or offers for sale, barter or exchange, any cave resource from a significant cave with knowledge or reason to know that such resource was removed from a significant cave located on Federal lands shall be punished in accordance with subsection (b).
(3) Any person who counsels, procures, solicits, or employs any other person to violate any provisions of this subsection shall be punished in accordance with subsection (b).
(4) Nothing in this section shall be deemed applicable to any person who was in lawful possession of a cave resource from a significant cave prior to the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) PUNISHMENT.—The punishment for violating any provision of subsection (a) shall be imprisonment of not more than one year or a fine in accordance with the applicable provisions of title 18 of the United States Code, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent violation, the punishment shall be imprisonment of not more than 3 years or a fine in accordance with the applicable provisions of title 18 of the United States Code, or both.
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Listing cancellation
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Limits on account privileges
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Account suspension
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Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
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Loss of PowerSeller status
NOTE: Because of the inability to differentiate the acquisition location of every speleothem in the US, Ebay usually honors their own selling and prohibited items policy. It is not always because of legal issues but because of the sensitive and controversial nature of certain items. Also, I didn't target any non- US seller.