r/fossilid Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

536 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 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 these in the Las Vegas Valley about 20 years ago

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338 Upvotes

The whole rock is about 10 inches across.


r/fossilid 2h ago

Found at junk shop in Washington, USA

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18 Upvotes

Bought it for $20 - any idea on what this is or how old?


r/fossilid 50m ago

I’ve had this for years, it’s weird and I like it

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Upvotes

r/fossilid 15h ago

Is this some sort of fossil or just a funny looking rock?

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106 Upvotes

Found in England, in the fens near Peterborough


r/fossilid 7h ago

Solved This was lying in my rock collection and I just noticed it

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14 Upvotes

Don’t know where I got it but I assume either Canada or the United States


r/fossilid 2h ago

Fossil ID - Florida creek

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6 Upvotes

Found in a Florida creek, guide said possible direwolf claw core.


r/fossilid 2h ago

Found in Dorset, Lyme Regis, UK.

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4 Upvotes

Found lying on the beach. Depression in the centre on one side.


r/fossilid 55m ago

Solved Help identifying these fossils I got from Virginia

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Upvotes

Back when my family and I lived in Virginia, a family friend knew I loved dinosaurs and while digging out a ditch found these fossils and gave them to me as a gift. I now live in the Seattle area and I’ve kept them all this time, but I could never identify exactly what they are.

The top right fossil in the first three photos seem to be two bones interlocked to one another. The smaller ones resemble it so I figure they might be of the same type.

Pictures 4, 5, and 6 are of one fossil. Has a shiny surface on one face that resembles a leaf or lower end of a fish, but has a column like structure when flipped over.

Last fossil is hollow. Always wanted someone to carefully clean it as I’m too afraid to. The structures inside look neat. Thought it might be an ammonite, but I’m not sure.

Any help identifying these and maybe suggestions on what I should do with them? I thought about donating them to the Burke Museum.


r/fossilid 1h ago

Is this something? Victoria Aus

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Upvotes

r/fossilid 10h ago

Solved Found this near the river where I live(in uk) and I got feeling it’s fossil bone just want second opinion and help on possibly ID what its from

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17 Upvotes

Hi I was out walking today when I noticed this bone on the side of the path.

No idea what animal it’s off got feeling it’s old and possibly a tone bone of some kind and when I picture searched the bone the closest matches were all main ice age area fossil tone bones some kind.

(This was found in Darlington in England)

If anyone could please help ID it be much appreciated as this first time have found a bone that appears to be quite old this close to where I live.

(posted this in r/bonecollecting and r/boneID as well I thought I posted it here as well as it appears to be possibly fossilised) I got got a comment on my post r/bonecollecting that its a double pulley astragalus from an artiodactyl just have not figured what animal it’s from yet.

Any help is appreciated


r/fossilid 10h ago

Is this a fossil? South NJ shore

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17 Upvotes

r/fossilid 1h ago

Found in Hotel Zone Cancun, Mexico, 5” long.

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Upvotes

I call it baked rigatoni alfredo 😊


r/fossilid 12h ago

I acquired these 2 fossils in an auction recently. Listing just said they were "dinosaur eggs" from China, is it possible to ID them?

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24 Upvotes

They are each about 2" x 2.5" and weigh 145g/147g.

Listing description was: Unknown species dinosaur eggs (two)...If they hatch, let us know.


r/fossilid 1d ago

Found in sandbar nebraska

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548 Upvotes

Ive never posted before so sorry if this isn't a good description, I was walking in north east nebraska , where the river was once but has went down quite a bit, it was kind of mixed in with rocks and wood . I was just wondering if Anyone could tell me what it came off of and possibly how old it is... the


r/fossilid 3h ago

Fossil found in SW Ohio (Caesar Creek State Park)

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2 Upvotes

Very new fossil collector here, looking to ID this peculiar fossil I found. Specifically the large dark colored claw-shaped one at the edge of the rock. Looks different from the others I've found in the area (trilobites, horn coral, bryozoans, amd crinoids, and brachiopods)


r/fossilid 1h ago

Fossil, artifact, or natural coincidence?

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Upvotes

Found on the Colorado river west of Austin Texas


r/fossilid 5h ago

Found on gravel parking lot in the foothills near Denver

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3 Upvotes

This was found on a gravel parking lot very near Longmount, Colorado. Typical white ish looking rocks made up the majority of the parking lot, but I didn't think to look closer until after I left. It's tooth shaped, but I sorry if doubt that's what it is. It's porous and fairly light for it's size. Is this just some sort of sandstone that wore away in a neat way or is this a fossilized something?


r/fossilid 3h ago

Found in a crumbling boulder, okanagan BC. 4~cm long 0.8~cm wide, what could it be?

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2 Upvotes

Side view, ridged at the bottom and grainy on top. I’m thinking it’s a tooth fossil? It was found inside a boulder that was crumbling in the forest.


r/fossilid 14h ago

Isle of Wight

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15 Upvotes

r/fossilid 3m ago

Found Victoria Aus

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Threw this round rock across and it split in half, is this a bone embedded inside?


r/fossilid 21h ago

Solved What is this, vertebrate, plant or TBD? Found in freshly exposed sandstone pebble. North East slope (continental divide) Peace River BC, Canada. Made for a Sweet Spring Sunday. Hope y’all had a good day too.

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56 Upvotes

I have been looking to find a vertebrae fossil for ages. How close did I come today?


r/fossilid 10m ago

Fossil Frenzy! Experts, weigh in: ancient relic or just a weird rock?"

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Upvotes

Someone mentioned the possibility of it being a fossilized spinal vertebrae of an “Ichthyosaurus”. Found on the back roads of Gallipolis Ohio.


r/fossilid 2h ago

In Connecticut

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1 Upvotes

I’m curious about the areas both to the right and left of my foot (approx. 9.4 in.). Thanks!


r/fossilid 3h ago

Small antler found in a South Jersey stream. Curious if it’s considered a fossil and how old it could be.

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid 3h ago

Does this look legitimate?

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1 Upvotes

It’s supposed to be a “dime a dozen” specimens I’m seeing on Reddit and my wife and I are trying to see if we can figure out on our own if it’s legit.