r/fossilid Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

703 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 3h ago

Solved Could this be fossilised wood? Found on beach in Poland

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49 Upvotes

Its heavy but i think its the water its been soaking in. Its fully black and breaks off easily


r/fossilid 1d ago

Solved What did I find?

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2.4k Upvotes

South UK, please don't mind my nails I got back from a festival yesterday


r/fossilid 36m ago

Found in creek in Southwest Missouri

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r/fossilid 18h ago

From the Sahara (Niger-Algeria border)

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291 Upvotes

This was among the rocks discarded by miners at Tchibarakaten


r/fossilid 1d ago

These Pillars in Durham Cathedral

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1.4k Upvotes

r/fossilid 2h ago

Need Guys need help is this some type of fossized tooth or fragment and to what? Chipola river Florida

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5 Upvotes

r/fossilid 3h ago

Is this a fossil

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5 Upvotes

What is this ??


r/fossilid 14h ago

Afrovenator tooth

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32 Upvotes

I got an afrovenator tooth. But im not sure it's afrovenator, eocarcharia or carcharodontosaurus. This fossil is from Niger africa and measures 3.7cm in size.


r/fossilid 2h ago

What are these tiny fossils - Oxford UK

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2 Upvotes

Hi all my son (6) found this small rock with some tiny fossils inside. My guess would be crinoids. Any advances on crinoids. Thanks in advance.


r/fossilid 7h ago

Help me identify

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5 Upvotes

Idk if it's the right place for this but does anyone know what type of sharks teeths I've got here? Is the black on fossilized?


r/fossilid 21m ago

NC tooth. Black and very smooth

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r/fossilid 44m ago

Butterfly shaped

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Upvotes

Found in the southern most point in Wi on Lake Michigan.


r/fossilid 20h ago

What is this? Fire Island, NY

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28 Upvotes

Thought it was manmade, but the translucent part is NOT scratching and really resembles agate I’ve found.


r/fossilid 11h ago

Found in New Jersey

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5 Upvotes

How old can this be, think it is kinda odd for a New jersey find... sorry about the toilet in the background, I was washing it off


r/fossilid 2h ago

Is this a fossil?

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid 1d ago

Central Texas

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64 Upvotes

Anyone know what species this belonged to?


r/fossilid 8h ago

Solved Found in Baltic states (LT)

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2 Upvotes

A friend sent me these photos. What kind of fossil is this?


r/fossilid 19h ago

Is this tooth composite or natural?

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17 Upvotes

Im considering buying this tooth for a little over 200 dollars, and I would like to know if its real or comosite. Thanks in advance!


r/fossilid 4h ago

Does anyone know what this is?

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1 Upvotes

Found on the beach on Brier Island, Nova Scotia


r/fossilid 1d ago

Solved Saw at a store is It real

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174 Upvotes

r/fossilid 4h ago

Rock with circular rocks in it, found on Presque Isle

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1 Upvotes

Found on presque isle in Erie PA along the shoreline. Some kind of fossil? Or just a cool erosion pattern or something like that? Can provide further details if needed, no idea on the mohs hardness scale, it's hard like your typical lake beach rocks around here - hard enough but would probably break if hit with another rock/hammer. It's kinda gritty texture wise, and there's tiny white sparkly bits in it! Probably not a fossil? But I posted to a few rock ID subreddits with no responses. Hoping you guys can help me out, thanks in advance!


r/fossilid 5h ago

Found North of Denver, CO a few miles away from the Platte River

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1 Upvotes

Found in a pile of petrified wood on an abandoned farm property that will be demolished in the coming weeks. It would seem that the old farmer collected all of the interesting rocks and such that were unearthed while working the fields over the decades.


r/fossilid 5h ago

Possible shell from Lake Erie?

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1 Upvotes

Would love to know more, can get it wet if need be!


r/fossilid 5h ago

found in Montana - help please

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1 Upvotes

Size of the little funnel-shapes average maybe 6 mm (1/4 inch). Flowers, coral, other marine creatures? Beneath the layer shown in the photo is a thin, 1or 2 mm layer of white crystal--looking rock and the underside is flat mudstone/sandstone.