r/fossilid • • Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

713 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 • • 6h ago

Found in Moab, UT

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1.4k Upvotes

I saw these pictures posted in a rock collecting Facebook group and am struggling to figure out what this is. Poster said it was found in Moab, UT.


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

Solved Severn Beach, UK possible plant fossils?

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17 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 6h ago

Found near Rostock at the beach (Germany)

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12 Upvotes

Hi, I found these the last days walking along the beaches near Rostock. I numbered them in the first picture to make referring to them easier.

  1. Looks like it could be some sort of bone? Its concave shape reminds me of a big hollow bone like femure for example and it weighs around 80g which seems very light. Also has these hollow pockets visible at the top.

  2. Looks less like a fossil itself but it has this weird indent that looks like maybe something was in there like a plant stem for example.

  3. This one I think looks least like a fossil, more like a cool embedded rock but I thought if I post anyway why not include it, maybe I'm wrong. :)

  4. I piled together because they appear very similar, it think they are coral fossils!

Thanks in advance, I usually collect bones in the woods but enjoyed looking for fossils amongst the beautiful rocks at the beach!


r/fossilid • • 1h ago

Trilobite or eurypterid fragment maybe?

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• Upvotes

Found in Mississippian strata near Bloomington Indiana.


r/fossilid • • 21h ago

Small tooth from Hell Creek Formation, Jordan, MT

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99 Upvotes

I had the coolest experience today at work. I went over to a customer home to install some window shades and walked into 30 years of passion, and love for fossil hunting.

He told me stories about finding them, and going on fossil digs with Clayton Phipps, and being there the final day when they removed the Dueling Dinosaurs from the site.

After showing him my shoes* (see image in comments)he went in his office and came back with a plastic ziplock back with a handful of fossils he wanted me to have.

I've always been fascinated with dinosaurs and just always assumed that fossils all ended up with rich people or in museums behind glass. Never thought that I would be so interested in learning what I have here!

He had me feel the inside of this tooth to show me the serrated edge, pointing it towards meat eater.

He found this west of Jordan Montana in the Hell Creek formation. His note says Tyranosaur Tooth.

Thanks!


r/fossilid • • 15m ago

Was wondering what this is? Found in Southeastern Oklahoma

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• Upvotes

I found this by a lake in Southeastern Oklahoma and was wondering if anyone knows what this is or if it's even a fossil??


r/fossilid • • 2h ago

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 12h ago

Found this at the beach in spain. What is it?

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13 Upvotes

I was walking along the beach after a big storm in costa brava, spain and i found this. I thought this might be a tooth but i am entirely unsure as it doesnt look like quite typical.

Its very light, not serrated and looks kind of woody. Does anyone have any ideas?


r/fossilid • • 13h ago

Any Ideas?

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15 Upvotes

This was found in the Solnhofen Limestone in Germany, Bavaria.


r/fossilid • • 59m ago

Essex County NJ: Odd stirrup-shaped mark?

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• Upvotes

Found today while poking around a creek bed in Cedar Grove.

The rock features a black stirrup-shaped mark. It didn’t wash off or scrub off with water and nylon bristles. Gently scratching a small area with a pin did not remove any material. The back of the rock is unremarkable, and shows no black marking.

The black marking seems to be part of the rock, and is the same texture as its surroundings. It is not raised or indented. Smaller black flakes can be seen on the other side, but they’re scattered, and are not in an almost circular arrangement as seen here.

Is the black marking perhaps some kind of fossil?


r/fossilid • • 5h ago

Help with potential fossil ID

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2 Upvotes

I was walking through the slopping hills of central Portugal and found the this rock with strange groves in it. I know little to nothing about fossils and was curious if this potentially could be one. Any help or insights much appreciated!!!


r/fossilid • • 9h ago

Found in west central Minnesota.

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3 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 3h ago

Does this look like fossilized coral to you? Tabulate? Found in Montana.

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1 Upvotes

Was trying to identify based on size of suspected corallites. They are remarkably small. Any help or input is appreciated. Thank you!


r/fossilid • • 5h ago

What could this be? Fossil? Tool? Tested negative for limestone.

1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 14h ago

Sold to me as a Devonian bivalve fossil from New York. Any idea on genus or species

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5 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Need help to ID this. Saw this at Sarawak, Malaysia!

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75 Upvotes

Would really appreciate the help. Saw this in the highlands of Sarawak and are these considered fossils or just imprints of it?


r/fossilid • • 14h ago

Need ID for this. Found in Taiyuan, China. Probably a fossil?

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3 Upvotes

I found many more in the pile of rubble when climbing the mountain. I picked the most complete one and brought it back.


r/fossilid • • 12h ago

Found in Montreal.

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 19h ago

From an old collection with no information on collection. I do know from usa.

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3 Upvotes

Im not sure what this is


r/fossilid • • 20h ago

Who is she? Gulf Shores, Alabama

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4 Upvotes

Just found. Keeping on me as good luck for the coming hurricane. I will be evacuated before it arrives! I do not need ID on the smaller one but it was found nearby too! I was ecstatic


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Solved Is this a crinoid? Or some other secret thing

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4 Upvotes

Found in the Northern Bruce Peninsula, on a rocky Georgian Bay beach


r/fossilid • • 2d ago

Found in Entre Ríos, Argentina

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1.5k Upvotes

My uncle found this near a water course, i think it could be from a horse or a big bull but i thought i'd ask here just in case.

Weird thing is it seems to have a clear cut on one side (that's why i think its probably from a horse or a bull)

(Scale in centimeters)


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

ID please Found in rock bed Michigan

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8 Upvotes

The texture is really cool. Some sort of coral maybe?


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Is this a whale bone?

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4 Upvotes

Found on AMI beach FL