I met up with my wife to celebrate Valentine's weekend out east near Ft. Benning over the last few days. Finally, I got to take her out for an easy echinoid harvest at a place that was flooded on our last attempt or 2. This time she hit paydirt in the form of Upper Cretaceous Hardouinia bassleri echinoids. Kind of exotic for us, as cassiduloids aren't too common in TX.
Here's a treat for the troops. These have been hidden from public and scientific view since they were acquired from the finder. I purchased them from a civil war relic hunter and collector, who claimed to have these found together, but he wouldn't divulge exactly where. I suspect coastal Charleston, north to possibly southern NC, based upon his distance of travel from the sale, which was the old Civil War Museum, located in downtown Myrtle Beach - Mid 90's.(A friend who worked there, alerted me of the seller's presence.) The owner also collected fossils and displayed these, so it was known as a place of trade and sale for both artifacts and fossils. When I first saw them, I immediately recognized the possibility that they were a pair, and likely land finds, but what I didn't expect to discover, was their curious potential axial relationship. Published relative axial ratios of known or suspected associated sets reveal similar math to what I've found in these Both appear to be from the same side of the jaw, which makes a reasonable argument for how they may have literally, come together in the first place. I've managed to contact one nationally recognized expert who seems intrigued. Unfortunately, there's probably no DNA remaining, but if you've ever watched Forensic Files on TV, more than just DNA is often used to establish beyond a reasonable doubt. I think this is also a good time for a poll, recognizing of course that you can't see these in person.