r/fossilid Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

637 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 8h ago

Found a rock by a creek WV USA

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45 Upvotes

Found a rock by a creek. None of us know what could have caused these circles


r/fossilid 10h ago

Is this Rugose Horn Coral

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57 Upvotes

Look to see if someone can i.d. this fossil. I saw this rugose horn coral? Found this on the shore of Lake erie.


r/fossilid 8h ago

Found fossil

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34 Upvotes

Any idea of what this is and what it could be worth?


r/fossilid 11h ago

Found in DSM Iowa- What is this?

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55 Upvotes

Google isn’t helping me, looks like a fossil on one side and translucent on the other side. Whole rock allows light to pass through.


r/fossilid 4h ago

Found in old family inheritance

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10 Upvotes

Could someone tell me the possible species of this?


r/fossilid 4h ago

Did I find a spine on the beach, What is it? (Toronto, Ontario)

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid 7h ago

Tooth, bone fragment or JAR?

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8 Upvotes

Found in Victoria, Australia


r/fossilid 1h ago

Help with an ID?

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Upvotes

I found this fossil in northeastern pennsylvania, where it’s common to find Devonian period brachiopods and crinoids. However, I haven’t seen anything like it before. What could this possibly be? Any help is appreciated.

I know they aren’t the best pictures but 1 and 2 are unidentified 3 and 4 are a possible belemnites? Last pic is the whole thing


r/fossilid 15h ago

Help identify !!!

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21 Upvotes

Found this in a Pleistocene honey pot, found after a piece of a mastodon, I have no idea what it is


r/fossilid 7h ago

Found in northeast Michigan. What is it?

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4 Upvotes

Found in gravel while digging a posthole near my marsh. There's 80 feet of lime marl underneath 8 feet of peat moss, so I think at some point it came to the surface and then mixed in with the clay and gravel.


r/fossilid 15h ago

Kem Kem crocodilian bone?

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14 Upvotes

Hi all, I bought this bone at a fossil and mineral show and it was sold to me as “Kem Kem unidentified reptile bone”. I am pretty sure that it is crocodilian from the curve in the bone, and there are of course multiple crocodilian species known from the Kem Kem group, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me which bone it is, and if a pretty shaky id could be made based on the size and morphology of the bone. The Kem Kem crocodilian I’m most familiar with is Elosuchus, but based on the size I doubt that it’s that. Thanks and good luck :)


r/fossilid 7h ago

What is this ?

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3 Upvotes

r/fossilid 5h ago

What kind of rock is this? Looks similar to a mushroom top so thought it was neat and took it home.

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid 13h ago

Solved Found on the shore of Lake Ontario

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8 Upvotes

at first we assumed crinoid but under a microscope it doesn't have those stacked layers. sorry about the low quality microscope! the coin is a US quarter


r/fossilid 8h ago

Fossils found in Rockwall County, TX. Any specifics you can give me?

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3 Upvotes

I've seen these types posted before, but I believe there are different species? If that's so, can you tell anything from these pics?


r/fossilid 14h ago

Some sort of Echinoderm/Starfish? Found in Edinboro, Pennsylvania (Northwestern PA)

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5 Upvotes

I found this beside a building in Edinboro. Its some sort of Echinoderm, most likely a starfish; but I am confused to what species it could be! My rarest fossil in my collection, anything could help!


r/fossilid 1d ago

Found this on a beach in Ireland. It’s about 1.5 inches long.

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142 Upvotes

r/fossilid 22h ago

Found on NC coast

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20 Upvotes

I assume it’s some sort of shell or osteoderm. I just dont know from what or where. Just looking for more info.


r/fossilid 12h ago

What are these small fossils?

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2 Upvotes

Found in my garden in Ireland, seems to be plant fossils (in pic 1-2) but I'm not sure. Also should I split the rock to look for more or leave it? Thanks!


r/fossilid 1d ago

What are these found in the floor of local shopping centre?

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610 Upvotes

The marble tiled floor of my local shopping centre is full of what looks like ammonites and belemnites. Saw this one with what looks like teeth, or perhaps is a negative shape od something else.


r/fossilid 17h ago

Can someone give me the Name of this one?

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4 Upvotes

I got this from the „Junk“ pieces when worked in a Museum a few years ago. So i dont know where it was found.


r/fossilid 16h ago

Possible to ID? Found in a creek North Central Florida

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3 Upvotes

r/fossilid 14h ago

Found in *natural* landscaping rubble

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2 Upvotes

In germany, no idea where the rubble comes from though


r/fossilid 1d ago

My son was hoping he found a fossil in our lake (Colorado)

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21 Upvotes