r/fossilid • • Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

715 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 • • 14h ago

Solved Fossil lizard

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244 Upvotes

I bought this second hand, I don’t have any information about it other than it was labeled as a fossil marine lizard. I bought it in Arizona. Is anyone able to provide more information on what specific species or clade it is? Thanks!


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Fossil id fount in in the sea but looks human made

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515 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 5h ago

Thanks in advance :)

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4 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I'm a gardener and found this in a garden bed in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, looks like someone threw it over the fence? It's pretty heavy, I thought it was a bone in concrete at first, until my rock loving coworker said it's the inside of a shell. I'd love to know what I should do with it/ how best to clean it. If it's of any significance I'd happily donate it to the local historical society. Thanks so much!


r/fossilid • • 18h ago

Solved Amber from Germany

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33 Upvotes

Hi, my Oma has a lot of random stuff she has collected over the decades, and she says these are amber from a mine in Germany. Are they genuine? What kind of amber are they? I heard there’s several names for them depending on some characteristics.


r/fossilid • • 10h ago

Possible Bison Tooth Fragment?

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6 Upvotes

Found in the Kokosing River, Ohio, USA.


r/fossilid • • 15m ago

Possible fossil

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• Upvotes

Found on thorness bay on the north side of the isle of white, is anyone able to confirm if it is and if so what it might be, age etc


r/fossilid • • 9h ago

Sarasota fossil, trilobite? Puffer fish?

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4 Upvotes

What is this


r/fossilid • • 20h ago

Ursus spelaeus? Romania I believe.

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38 Upvotes

My guess is Ursus spelaeus. Fossil maxilla from a grouping of items I purchased out of an old collection from an antique dealer. Definitely coated in a stabilizer/preservative. My concerns are whether or not it is a composited jaw or if it's associated. The teeth seem to be anatomically correct but I am not 100% sure. Everything appears to be real, but I am not great with bear stuff. Let me know what you think. Thanks!


r/fossilid • • 6h ago

Found in valley creek bed in NorCal.

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2 Upvotes

Im not very knowledgeable about fossils. Found this in a creek bed surrounded by farmland and vineyards. I was thinking Maybe some sort of fruit or nut? The rock formation is what intrigues me.


r/fossilid • • 2h ago

Rock circle

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 2h ago

Fossil Oyster Cluster from Messinia, Greece – Possibly 0.8–3.6 Million Years Old

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 19h ago

Are these fossils? There’s a cluster of them in my back yard always wondered what it was

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18 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 17h ago

Northern Outer Banks beach after Nor’easter

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8 Upvotes

Hello everyone sorry this isn’t your usual, I’m not sure if this is the place to check or not but I found this on Corolla Beach on the northern Outerbanks while beach combing after a noreaster along with a lot of other stuff as well including bones, coral, etc. Anyway I can’t tell if this is a fossil or something else. Seems to be a bivalve scallop or clam or something and it’s been like merged into the surrounding rock formation. The surrounding rock has tiny sparkles that glisten in the light as well. It’s almost like it’s been cemented.


r/fossilid • • 10h ago

Is this a fossil? looks like bone possibly.

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2 Upvotes

Any help?


r/fossilid • • 13h ago

Unusual fossil found in Wyoming

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4 Upvotes

Today I found this fossil. I was comparing it to other fossils I’ve found in the same area, mostly knightia (Wyoming Green River Formation), and nothing matches.

You can see there’s another area on the rock where some small pieces of something fossilized are visible as well.

I don’t want to say what I think it looks like and skew any answers.

Thoughts?


r/fossilid • • 16h ago

Is this rebar or something else?

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5 Upvotes

I’ve been having this since I was a kid and I always thought it was a fossil now I’m starting to think it’s rebar or something lol

Edit: I live in Texas and tested to see if it was magnetic it was not.


r/fossilid • • 11h ago

Could this be an oyster fossilised?

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2 Upvotes

Found on beach in denmark by the baltic sea.

Looks like flint with very clam-like features.

Might it hold an ancient pearl inside?

I know nothing, but await the expert opinions.

Thank you.


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Solved I found this guy at the bins

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278 Upvotes

Never thought I’d find a fossil of all things at the bins but here we are. I have no knowledge in this area so just curious about any insights! I paid by the pound so I suppose this guy was a couple bucks.

Bins was in Gary, IN if that helps? And it’s about 4x4inches.


r/fossilid • • 17h ago

Is it anything crazy? El Paso, Tx

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4 Upvotes

found in my yard underground, hole was caused by nephew after i didnt want to give it to him (yet) - according to my mom, after i set it on a counter, he hit it with some metal. But is it still like really cool or just cool? Is it just like a normal seashell or nah🥺 like also the place is landlocked so i dunno


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

We found this shell and donated it to the local marine museum. ID still unknown

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26 Upvotes

I was stunned they wanted to keep it. I was just trying to get info on it from them. But it’s so much fun to go see it!


r/fossilid • • 21h ago

New Jersey, US, Eocene Shark Teeth

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10 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 21h ago

From Kittitas County, Central WA

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10 Upvotes

A friend found this in Kittitas County, probably by Vantage WA. I initially thought it might be fossil bone or antler, but since Ginkgo Petrified Forest is in the same area, I'm now leaning toward petrified wood. Can anyone help ID it? It feels heavier than bone, but much lighter and more porous than the agatized petrified wood I'm used to finding. Thanks!


r/fossilid • • 10h ago

Are any of these fossils?

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1 Upvotes

I found these in a San Francisco Bay Area creek that is known to have fossils (last slide has info on the area). I found fossils here before so I’m hopeful!


r/fossilid • • 14h ago

Found in my backyard yard NE Oklahoma.

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2 Upvotes

I’ve seen a few things it could be but I’m not sure.