Is It Legal To Own a Dinosaur Fossil? How to start your Dinosaur Collection!

Above: Erik - Fossil Lawyer (WARNING: Erik is not a licensed law professional)
Post author - Ellis Nolan
So you want to start fossil collecting!? Amateur paleontology is a fascinating and fun hobby that anyone can begin! Dinosaur bones are some of the most sought-after specimens in the world, so you may be wondering, is it even legal to own a dinosaur bone? In short, yes! Read on for more help starting your fossil collection!
It is completely legal to own dinosaur fossils, however it is important to purchase from a source that has proper authentication practices. Like all specimens available from Mini Museum, our fossils are only sourced from thoroughly vetted vendors and are 100% guaranteed to be authentic. Read more about authenticity here.
There are many different kinds of dinosaur fossils available for sale at Mini Museum! If you’re just starting out your collection, check out our article on the best dinosaur fossils for beginners! We have teeth, bones, insects in amber, ammonites, petrified trees, you name it! For the collector who has everything, we also have larger fossils, such as complete vertebrae, the Mini Museum Dino collection, and more!
Interested in starting your collection? Visit our dinosaurs page here!
Featured Product
SR-71 Blackbird Fragment
Cool Things!

Vader’s Lightsaber Becomes the Most Expensive Star Wars Collectible!
Last Thursday, an auction set a new record for Star Wars memorabilia, when a screen-used prop of Darth Vader’s lightsaber sold for over $3.6 million.

Learn About the Tiny Aircraft That Turn Sunlight Into Flight!
Of the five layers of Earth’s atmosphere, the mesosphere (the third layer from Earth’s surface) is a height at which traditional aircraft have, thus far, been unable to reach on their own power. Generally beginning about 154,000 feet above sea level, even the world record for highest aircraft altitude falls about 20,000 feet short. However, a newly developing technology may change this reality, and it involves aircraft that punch high above their weight.

Learn About The Newly Discovered Species of Early Humans!
In studying early human ancestors, known as “hominids,” anthropologists have historically found much wider variations from specimen to specimen than expected, particularly among other paleontological fields. A recent study argues that certain groups of hominid fossils previously thought to be an already discovered species constitute a new one entirely.
Specimen Deep Dives

Old Ironsides: The USS Constitution and the Start of the U.S. Navy

The Hollywood Sign: The Story of a City's Symbol Hollywoodland

Building Disneyland
Long Form Articles

The Artist Behind the Macintosh: Susan Kare and Apple Computers
While the two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, are the most well known faces behind Apple computers, equally important to the products and culture of the company were those who crafted the experience of using their computers through design. The most notable of these visual architects was Susan Kare, a designer responsible for “humanizing” Macintosh computers.

Can I Lick It? Yes You Can!
Have you ever been unable to tell if a fossil was really a fossil, but you were too embarrassed to admit it? Have you ever wanted to lick a fossil just because, but you didn’t want to risk judgment from your peers? Well, good news! You can kill two birds with one stone! Licking a fossil can actually help you determine if it’s the real deal or just another rock.

Is It Legal To Own a Meteorite: How to Start Your Outer Space Collection!
Meteorites are some of the rarest geological specimens to be found on Earth. Of course, since these stones are not of our world, purchasing them can sometimes be a confusing process. Is it legal to own a meteorite? In short, yes! Read on for help starting your cosmic collection!