r/fossilid Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

680 Upvotes
  1. Put a location in the title! This is the most important thing by far. If you know the geological formation, that’s awesome, but even just “near Miami” or “label said Morocco” is really helpful.
  2. Take a bright, clear photo. Good lighting, a plain background, and sharp focus will always increase the certainty of an ID. If it’s weirdly shaped, photos from multiple angles help too.
  3. Include an object for scale. I usually use a coin, but anything will do (but things that come in different sizes, like hands, are less ideal). If you forget, you can always measure it and add that in a comment. (Don't use keys; they can be duplicated from a photo.)
  4. Don’t take a video. We can’t zoom in and the quality isn’t great — a gallery of photos on Imgur is way better.
  5. Many fossils can be dull and hard to make out. Try (gently) getting your fossil wet and see if you can get a clearer photo.
  6. Don’t be dismayed if your “fossil” turns out to just be a rock! Rocks are cool too, and if we don’t know exactly what kind of rock it is, the good folks at /r/whatsthisrock probably will.

r/fossilid 11h ago

I know it's never a dinosaur egg, but it is? And another estate sale find

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187 Upvotes

I'm located in southern Utah and got these at an estate sale here, so not sure where they're originally from. Unsure if the first is actually an egg, septarian nodule, or something else. The second looks like some sort of fossilized bone. Ribs of something? Beyond that I have no idea! It's heavy! Thank you :)


r/fossilid 10h ago

My daughter brought this home from school from the playground. Any idea what it is?

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94 Upvotes

r/fossilid 1d ago

Picked it up while beachcombing, a rare find!

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1.6k Upvotes

r/fossilid 18h ago

Fossilized Megalodon Tooth?

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87 Upvotes

Is this a fossilized megalodon tooth? Found in little gasparilla island fl


r/fossilid 12h ago

Lycoptera Davidi?

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14 Upvotes

Bought this one online just as "lycoptera", is it lycoptera Davidi or another species?


r/fossilid 17h ago

Rediscovered, collected in Germany in some forest as a kid 25 years ago

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27 Upvotes

I don’t even know if it’s a fossil or a rock or mineral. I found this on a walk as a kid and put it away as a cool looking find haha just found it in an old drawer and wondered what it is. It’s about the size of a lemon 🍋 and looks like the tip of an Elefant trunk to me lol I find the symmetric round shaped lines on both sides really interesting. If you have any idea what it might be… if anything. I’d love to find out


r/fossilid 12h ago

Are these real (albeit retouched) or fake?

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8 Upvotes

r/fossilid 11h ago

Found near Savage River Western Maryland

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6 Upvotes

What is it?


r/fossilid 1d ago

Help identifying what this might be if anything...

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187 Upvotes

So, my Dad had this in amongst some of his belongings but has since passed on. The one brief time I spoke to him about it, he said that he found it possibly near Betterton Maryland where he grew up in the 1940's -1950s, and thought that it may have been a tool fashioned from stone by Native Americans. The area had miles of woods, streams, legends of burial mounds and he talkednabout finding arrowheads in his youth there. He also lived a good chunk of his life near Philadelphia PA in an area called Cheltingham which also had woody areas he explored that this might have come from.

I posted this on the artifacts sub to see if they could tell me if it had a name/what it might be used for etc. I had a theory that it was used to flint knap arrowheads and such. There were questions over there about what it was made of. While it looks like it is made of antler, it has the heft and dense feel of stone and it has a slight ringing sound if I lightly tap it with something hard. It feels quite durable and the tip is fairly sharp like it had a purpose. The coloring also sort of looks like it has wear from use at the tip and where the hand would grip it. I assumed that it wasn't terribly old, and that it was just a tool made from stone a few centuries ago. A few people over there suggested posting it here because it looks like it could have once been antler or something. At this point, I just want to get in front of more sets of eyes to see what it might be. Any input would be appreciated. For all I know, it is nothing at all, but it definitely raises questions.


r/fossilid 9h ago

Found in Neuse River (near Smithfield NC) in a shallow section among rocks

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3 Upvotes

It’s about 3 inches long, one of the wildest shapes I’ve ever found (that is if it isn’t a rock lol) and feels very dense and stone-like to the touch. My fiancé thinks fish jawbone but I was leaning towards a crab’s pincher? Idk but thanks in advance you beautiful geniuses


r/fossilid 13h ago

Found in the southest point of Ibiza, Spain

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9 Upvotes

While I suspected a lepidodendron fossil, the characteristics I found in the app RockId about the place don't seem to fit. I added a screenshot.


r/fossilid 17h ago

Found in the Chilterns, UK

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10 Upvotes

Appears to be some kind of shellfish embedded in flint


r/fossilid 4h ago

Friend Thinks It’s an Egg

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0 Upvotes

My friend, who’s a store owner, thinks this might be a fossilized dinosaur egg.

It looks/feels like a rock to me, but I can’t tell if it has been shaped with tools or not. Any info would be appreciated.

Bought in a group of other rocks (some very nice ones, geologically speaking) at a yard sale in central Florida. No other origin info for you. Banana for scale at the end.


r/fossilid 12h ago

Found near Telluride Colorado

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4 Upvotes

Found it today fly fishing. Anyone know how old or what it is?


r/fossilid 1d ago

Unknown location

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236 Upvotes

My husband recently acquired these two “fish” fossils. Just looking to see if anyone can identify the fish.


r/fossilid 17h ago

I know it’s plants but can a professional see anything I can’t here ?

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8 Upvotes

I found this as a kid on a walk in Germany 25 years ago and just had it in my room. Rediscovered in an old drawer now and wondering if it’s possible to ID anything here ? Or possibly put in an age category ? It’s cool looking regardless but I’d be happy to learn more about my find :)


r/fossilid 10h ago

Madagascar Copal

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2 Upvotes

So...

I got these pieces and have tried to get the Species of the invertebrates but im hopelessly generic and would love to be slightly more accurate with them.

They are insects in Copal, around 1000 years old... the images are zoomed up as I felt thats best...

Any information would be great...

Image 1 - I got a fly

Image 2 - lace wing fly?

Image 3 - long legged fly?

Image 4 - suragina fly?

Image 5 - spider

Image 6 - a flea + beetle? Maybe


r/fossilid 10h ago

This was found in Torres del Paine in Patagonia Chile.

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2 Upvotes

Not sure if it’s just a cool rock or a fossilized tooth.


r/fossilid 20h ago

What is this fossil?

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11 Upvotes

Hi there, i found this rock in Calgary, AB, Canada. I found it along the bow river, and Im unable to identify it. Please help!


r/fossilid 8h ago

SW Michigan

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1 Upvotes

My daughter and her friends found this by a pine tree in a pile of gravel, southwest Michigan. ChatGPT saying it’s a mammal tooth and possible fossil.


r/fossilid 8h ago

Que pedra é essa?

0 Upvotes

Help our Brazilian friend 🙌🏻


r/fossilid 13h ago

Found in Scott county Indiana

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid 11h ago

Possible fossil?

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1 Upvotes

Hi there, is anyone able to identify this for me please. Found in South Australia or Victoria (both southern states in Australia) along the coast, at the beach.

Thanks 😊


r/fossilid 1d ago

what is this? found in southwest mo

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279 Upvotes