What's in the box?
It’s back! Paxton Gate’s Treasure Box is back and better than ever! If you’ve made it to this page, you probably have one right now. If you don’t, click here to grab one while we still have them in stock. Below is everything inside and why it’s some of the coolest stuff we carry. Grab one for yourself or give someone the best dang present they’ve ever received.
Raccoon Skull
We’re spoiled in North America when you really think about it. Other continents get poisonous snakes, weird spiders, or giant carnivorous cats roaming their backyards, and we get the one and only trash panda. While they may look like someone smashed a mix of a cat and dog together, raccoons are actually smaller relatives of bears.
One of the reasons they seem to grace our properties and back porches at night is that raccoons are easily adaptable to various environments. They can live in a hollow tree just as happily as they can in abandoned cars. Depending on the car, it can get pretty comfy for them. Their hands resemble human hands, and boy, do they put them to work. They have five fingers and use their hands to collect food, open shells, doors, or trash cans. It’s always fun when they get into your trash can, right?
Raccoons often place food in water before they start to eat it. If you’re an outdoor cat owner like me, you’ll know that if you leave dry cat food outside overnight next to the water bowl, raccoons will absolutely make a mess of things. Next time you forget to bring the food in and wonder why the water looks so gross, it’s because the furry little bandits were dipping the food in the water before they ate it. They do this because they have a highly sensitive sense of touch, and water increases that sensitivity even more. I’m not sure what’s so sensually appealing about dipping cat food in water, but hey, to each their own.
Diaphanized Deformed "Serpentine" Rat Wet Specimen
When it comes to finding an alien on Earth, the closest thing you’ll find that might fit that description is an octopus. They have eight tentacles that are highly sensitive, can manipulate objects independently, and can even taste what they touch (sounds like a curse to us, but okay). They can change color and texture using specialized skin cells called chromatophores to blend into their environment and avoid predators. One minute they are smooth and red; the next, they are morphing into a sandy color with a rough texture.
They have no bones aside from a razor-sharp beak, and because of this, they can squeeze through ridiculously tight spaces. On top of all that, they are very smart—like, almost scary smart. If you were trying to pass these off as otherworldly invaders to someone with no knowledge of the sea, they’d probably believe you.
This particular specimen is Octopus vulgaris, which lives only around 1–2 years. They grow fast, reproduce, and then they bounce, living the rockstar life under the waves. These particular specimens were farm-raised, so no underwater rebel aliens were removed from the sea to create this.
Tiger's Eye Sphere
Look, we’ll never be able to see a Tiger’s Eye without hearing “Eye of the Tiger” blaring in our heads, and to be fair, this stone deserves such a bombastic soundtrack. It’s a stunning gemstone with those irresistible golden and brown bands. Its chatoyant shimmer and warm, earthy tones make it a favorite for crystal enthusiasts and jewelry makers alike. Part of the quartz family, Tiger’s Eye is famous for its “tiger eye” effect, where light catches the stone’s fibrous structure to create a moving, almost magical shimmer. Usually a reddish-brown stone with streaks of iron, it’s a must-have for any collection. Sorry in advance if you now have “Eye of the Tiger” stuck in your head. We do.
According to metaphysics: Tiger's Eye is a potent stone that helps release fear and anxiety while promoting balance. It encourages decisive action and supports making clear, thoughtful decisions, free from emotional bias. Known for its grounding qualities, Tiger's Eye balances the energies of the mind, body, and spirit. It also aids in aligning the solar plexus chakra, boosting willpower, self-discipline, and emotional stability. Whether carried with you, used during meditation, or placed in your home, it enhances your environment with its harmonious vibrations.
Framed Butterfly Wing
We’re spoiled in North America when you really think about it. Other continents get poisonous snakes, weird spiders, or giant carnivorous cats roaming their backyards, and we get the one and only trash panda. While they may look like someone smashed a mix of a cat and dog together, raccoons are actually smaller relatives of bears.
One of the reasons they seem to grace our properties and back porches at night is that raccoons are easily adaptable to various environments. They can live in a hollow tree just as happily as they can in abandoned cars. Depending on the car, it can get pretty comfy for them. Their hands resemble human hands, and boy, do they put them to work. They have five fingers and use their hands to collect food, open shells, doors, or trash cans. It’s always fun when they get into your trash can, right?
Raccoons often place food in water before they start to eat it. If you’re an outdoor cat owner like me, you’ll know that if you leave dry cat food outside overnight next to the water bowl, raccoons will absolutely make a mess of things. Next time you forget to bring the food in and wonder why the water looks so gross, it’s because the furry little bandits were dipping the food in the water before they ate it. They do this because they have a highly sensitive sense of touch, and water increases that sensitivity even more. I’m not sure what’s so sensually appealing about dipping cat food in water, but hey, to each their own.
Otodus Obliquus Fossil Shark Tooth
You may be asking yourself, “Why on earth did they send me a dead plant in this box?” The Selaginella lepidophylla, or resurrection plant, definitely looks like it’s already pushing up daisies. But in reality, we didn’t send you a dead plant; we sent you a sleepy one. As the name resurrection plant suggests, this dry little bundle just needs a bit of water and presto, it’s back in the game.
This wild party trick is actually a survival move perfected by resurrection plants to handle life in the brutal Chihuahuan Desert. When water gets scarce, these little guys dry out and curl up into a tight ball, basically hitting pause on life. Once they’ve turned into crispy tumbleweeds, they roll around the desert until they bump into some water. As soon as they get a sip, they “wake up,” rehydrate, and unfurl their gorgeous, fern-like fronds like nothing ever happened.
Plop yours in a shallow bowl of water, and over the next few days it will open up, turn a lovely shade of green, and pull off the greatest Lazarus impression in the entire plant kingdom. Not only is it an incredible process to watch, but it is also a pretty stellar addition to your plant collection.
Owl Pellet
These owl pellets come from the barn owl (Tyto alba) and were collected as part of an effort to help fund owl conservation.
Unlike humans, owls deal with anything they can’t digest by simply coughing it back up. Since they don’t have teeth, they swallow their prey whole. Their gizzard, a specialized part of the stomach, then sorts out the indigestible bits like bones, teeth, fur, and feathers, compressing everything into a tidy little pellet that gets regurgitated later. Honestly, the idea of an owl with teeth is a little unsettling, so maybe this arrangement is for the best.
Owls are exceptionally good hunters. Specialized feathers allow them to fly almost completely silently, letting them approach prey without giving themselves away. And if you think that’s their only strange adaptation, there’s plenty more where that came from.
For starters, owls don’t really have eyeballs in the traditional sense. They have elongated, tube-shaped eyes held firmly in place inside their skulls. Because those eyes can’t swivel around like ours, an owl has to move its entire head to change where it’s looking. Far from being a disadvantage, this unusual setup gives them excellent depth perception and remarkable vision in low light.
Pair those eyes with near-silent flight, sharp hearing, and a set of formidable talons, and you have an animal perfectly built for hunting from above. Swoop in unheard, grab dinner out of the grass, repeat.
Which brings us back to the pellet in your hand. Inside are the leftovers from a day, or rather a night, well spent hunting from the skies.
Agate Worry Stone
Worry stones have a soothingly smooth feel and they have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, calm your heart, and clear your mind. Hold the stone between your index finger and thumb and gently rub your thumb back and forth across the smooth indentation when you're feeling worried or stressed. They can also help with concentration and general restlessness.
Agate according to metaphysics: Known as the stabilizer, Agate crystal is the stone to call on for support when you need stability and grounding in your life. It transforms negative energy into positive energy. Agate enhances mental function, improves concentration, enhances perception and analytical abilities. It is a soothing and calming gemstone that heals inner anger, anxiety and helps in the strengthening of relationships. Agate instills security and safety.
Madagascar Amethyst Crystal Cluster
Madagascar Amethyst comes, as the name suggests, from the island of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa. Like all amethyst, it’s a variety of quartz, but these specimens are especially eye catching for their softer shades of purple, often drifting toward pale lavender and periwinkle. That color comes from trace amounts of iron within the quartz that are altered by natural radiation over millions of years. The result is the unmistakable purple that has made amethyst one of the most recognizable and beloved minerals in the world.
The name “amethyst” comes from the Ancient Greek word meaning “not intoxicated,” thanks to an old belief that the stone could protect its owner from drunkenness. Once valued alongside rubies and emeralds, amethyst became more widely available after large deposits were discovered in Brazil during the 19th century. It remains the traditional birthstone for February and the most prized variety of quartz. In metaphysical traditions, amethyst is associated with calm, balance, intuition, and inner peace, which feels particularly fitting for the dreamy, almost otherworldly color of these Madagascar specimens.
Fulgurite Lightning Glass Straw
Have you ever wondered what the Earth looks like once it is struck by lightning? Great news! The answer is right here. Fulgurite, derived from the Latin word fulgur, meaning lightning, is the result of a lightning strike hitting sand. The strike melts the silica (quartz) instantly and creates these natural tubes. It takes a monstrous amount of heat to form the glass tubes. In fact, a temperature of 3272°F is required to instantaneously melt sand and create a fulgurite. Their shape mimics the path of the lightning bolt as it disperses into the ground, and just like snowflakes, no two fulgurites are the same.
It is cool to think that something as instantaneous, fleeting, and ephemeral as lightning can actually leave behind a permanent record of its existence. Thanks to this phenomenon, scientists can study fulgurites to gain a better understanding of past lightning activity, soil composition, and even climate conditions.
These specimens feel like the ghost of an ancient storm captured and preserved in the soil of our world. They may look a little mundane, but in reality, they are absolutely extraordinary. If you are superstitious, it is said that lightning never strikes the same spot twice. By carrying one of these around, you might be lightning-proof. Okay, probably not, but it is a cool thing you can show off the next time you are stuck in a weather delay at a football game.
Rabbit's Foot Keychain
Have you ever wondered why a rabbit’s foot is considered lucky? The belief that a rabbit's foot could be charmed, and therefore help one lead a charmed life, began as an offshoot of totemism. This belief in a spiritual connection between humans and other living beings dates back thousands of years. A tribe that considered itself descended from hares or rabbits worshiped the animals and carried parts of them for luck. The foot was particularly lucky (because of course it is) and the totem that represented not only good fortune, but also increased fertility and a bountiful harvest. Celtic tribes believed rabbits spent so much time underground they could communicate with gods and spirits, so, naturally, carrying a rabbit's foot would be lucky. Make perfect sense to us
Bison Tooth
Bison are symbolic animals of the Great Plains and are often called buffalo, but technically, they aren't buffalo at all. True buffalo, like the African buffalo and water buffalo, are native to Africa and Asia and belong to a different branch of the bovine family tree. The name "buffalo" stuck with American bison centuries ago, and at this point, good luck getting everyone to stop using it.
By any name, they are massive beasts and the heaviest land animals in North America. Bison stand some 5 to 6.5 feet tall at the shoulder and can tip the scales at over a ton. Despite their massive size, bison are surprisingly quick on their feet. When the need arises, they can run at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour. That's a lot of animal coming at you surprisingly fast.
Grab one for yourself
If you got through all of the above and are now thinking, “Man, I want one for myself,” you’re in luck. If this page is visible, that means we still have some in stock, but seriously, don’t wait. We only have so many of these, and last year they sold out fast. Pick one up for yourself or as a one of a kind perfect gift for that impossible to buy for person in your life. It’s the easiest, best decision you’ll ever make.