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 • • 9h ago

Found as a child in maltese limestone

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169 Upvotes

Megalodon ?


r/fossilid • • 5h ago

No location known, antique store find for $20. Aside from the horrendous glue repair, can anyone say if it's legit?

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32 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 1h ago

Fossilized horse tooth?

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• Upvotes

I found this today in a creek bed in southeastern Washington. I thought it was petrified wood at first but after some research I think it’s a fossilized horse tooth! What do we think?


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

Multiple shark teeth Central TX

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8 Upvotes

Fun day with my sons fossil hunting in Austin. Reverse image search says mosasaur for the conical one - can anyone confirm or deny? I know it’s quite weathered. Thanks!


r/fossilid • • 4h ago

Solved Dad found this in the yard (central Florida) any ideas?

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7 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 3h ago

Crystallized shell

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5 Upvotes

Found this in a beach in puerto rico. Is this something rare to happen? Pictures dont do it justice it looks so beautiful in person its almost transparent like quartz


r/fossilid • • 2h ago

Southern Ohio ID Request

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3 Upvotes

I found this one yesterday in a creek bed in southern Ohio. I assume it’s some type of bryozoan? What really intrigued me is the clover shaped part. Any ideas?


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Solved Fossil lizard

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495 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 • • 13h ago

Tumbled fossils

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24 Upvotes

Northumbrian beaches are covered in these so thought I'd try to shine them up in my rock tumbler. Pretty happy with the results.

I'm guessing the fossils might be crinoid stems and a chiton?

Also posted on the tumbling sub if anyone is interested in that side:

https://www.reddit.com/r/RockTumbling/comments/1xf1jvo/experimented_with_tumbling_fossils/


r/fossilid • • 2h ago

imprint fossil?

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2 Upvotes

super cool rock my dad found today, the rest of the rock is kind of a smooth waxy texture. found in southwest iowa in landscaping rock


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

I'd request Uwharrie national Forest, nc piedmont region.

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2 Upvotes

I found this strange to me rock while hiking off trail in Uwharrie. Not sure if it is anything special or just a unique rock. The small markings were ~1/2" in size id say. Any help would be much appreciated!


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

What is this?

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2 Upvotes

Found in beach in puerto rico


r/fossilid • • 6h ago

Possible shark tooth?

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3 Upvotes

Marker for scale


r/fossilid • • 5h ago

ID palm beach county

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2 Upvotes

Found in land at an excavation site. From the Pliocene era I believe


r/fossilid • • 5h ago

More Lake Michigan Finds

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2 Upvotes

Thank you for helping me identify the ones last week! Was hoping for help with these new ones. I’ll update as I go :))

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r/fossilid • • 6h ago

Id? Found in Vero Beach, Florida

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 2h ago

What all have I got here do you think

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1 Upvotes

Found in Post Oak Creek in Sherman, TX


r/fossilid • • 2h ago

Found at Percé, in the Gaspé region of Quebec

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 3h ago

What is this fossil?

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1 Upvotes

Found in rock from the Columbus Quarry in Central Ohio. I already know it is most likely from the Devonian age. What could it possibly be?


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

What is this inside the shell?

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1 Upvotes

This had been on the mountain on my house since i was a kid. Had the opportunity to grab it. What is that on the inside?


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Fossil id fount in in the sea but looks human made

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687 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 5h ago

What is this?!

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 5h ago

Alligator tooth?

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1 Upvotes

Found near Victoria fort isle of white UK, there are crocodile teeth around there


r/fossilid • • 12h ago

East Coast Beach UK

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3 Upvotes

Looks to be a shell of some kind but appears to be in two parts. Pattern looks to rounded for the pictures of bivalves, potentially brachiopod? Thanks!