North America or Siberia, Late Cretaceous period, ca. 77.5 to 76.5 million years ago. A clutch of eleven Troodon eggs, beautifully preserved in their reddish-brown matrix. The name Troodon refers to several species of bird-like dinosaurs found mainly in the northern Rocky Mountains, with a few specimens known from northern Alaska, Siberia, and the western Russia/China border. The eggs are elongated, with a grey-blue color and obvious shell structure underneath a thin layer of red-brown deposits. When born, Troodons may have been some of the smartest dinosaurs - their brain cases are similar to those of modern birds. They walked and ran on two long legs and had three-fingered hands that they would have used to hunt their food, primarily small lizards and mammals. Size: 5.75" L x 10.5" W x 4" H (14.6 cm x 26.7 cm x 10.2 cm)

These eggs are remarkable in the history of dinosaurs - note how they are standing up vertically in the matrix? This is evidence of a very specific nesting habit. Today, most birds nest by sitting on the eggs and warming them, with their bodies directly in contact with the egg shells. Crocodiles, their relatives, and most dinosaurs bury their nests to keep their eggs warm. Troodons therefore represent a link between dinosaurs and their evolutionary descendants, birds. This clutch and others like it provide potent evidence that dinosaurs are still among us - flying around, perching on telephone wires, and stealing french fries out of our fingers at the beach.

Provenance: ex-A Coin Exchange, Tarzana, California, USA, acquired at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in 2008

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#146015

The eggs are preserved in the matrix and partially contained within it. The matrix has been repaired from three or four large pieces. Most of the eggs have had their shells professionally preserved with adhesive but this is almost indiscernible when looking at the whole. Great deposits on all surfaces with nice preservation of egg shell surfaces.