r/fossilid Jun 20 '20

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR FOSSIL IDENTIFIED — READ BEFORE POSTING

519 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 3h ago

Found in shale

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72 Upvotes

What is this?


r/fossilid 9h ago

Is this a fossil?

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39 Upvotes

Hello everyone! I was hoping someone could help me figure out if this rock is a fossil. I found it on the beach near the surf. I noticed a claw shape that has 3 separate segments. It's a little hard to see in the photos but I took multiple photos to help. The rock is a dark red color/burgundy color. One of the segments has hardened sandy deposites that looks like it can be removed carefully with a tool of some sort. It's non-magnetic and doesn't read as any type of metal with a metal detector. I just feel like the segments line up too well for it to be just a natural formed shape but who knows, maybe I'm wrong. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you


r/fossilid 2h ago

Tell me it's not..

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13 Upvotes

Egg? Kansas city Missouri area.


r/fossilid 12h ago

What did me and my wife find?

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54 Upvotes

Went for a walk at Percy Priest lake and the water was really low. We decided to walk out on the rocks and we found a few of these along with a bunch of broke off pieces of what looked to be the same thing


r/fossilid 22h ago

A squashed-down ammonite I've found in France as a kid. How uncommon is the shape?

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221 Upvotes

r/fossilid 2h ago

Was gifted these, found in northern Ontario Canada

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5 Upvotes

r/fossilid 2h ago

Tooth ? Found on a beach in french atlantic coast

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5 Upvotes

Hello. Found on on the beach i dont remenber exactly where but in France next to Atlantic. Is it a tooth, cow ? Is it fossilised or modern ? Thanks a lot


r/fossilid 17h ago

Solved Found in Littlehampton, UK. Any ideas what type this is?

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39 Upvotes

Ignore the shell it’s in


r/fossilid 21h ago

Any ideas on this petrified wood?

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62 Upvotes

Was given this from my brother about 10 years ago. He found it on his property outside of Yuma, AZ. It’s clearly petrified wood that I’d assume was heavily bug eaten? Weighs a ton.


r/fossilid 1h ago

De que aniamal es este diente?

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Upvotes

Encontré este diente en la playa de Rocha, Uruguay. Quisiera saber cuanto tiempo tiene y de que animal fue.


r/fossilid 1h ago

Possible Fossil Found in the French Alps - Help Identify!

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Upvotes

r/fossilid 2h ago

Cross-section of a Spinosaurus tooth

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0 Upvotes

Through unfortunate circumstances, one of my Spinosaurus teeth had its tip chipped off. This is what the inside looked like. Restored the tooth after taking this photo.


r/fossilid 14h ago

Solved Is this fossilized whale bone?

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7 Upvotes

Found on Santa Cruz California today


r/fossilid 2h ago

Help me identify this Fossil WE found in an old quarry

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0 Upvotes

r/fossilid 12h ago

East TN, any thoughts?

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6 Upvotes

Found this between Nashville and Knoxville, any guesses on what I got?


r/fossilid 21h ago

Found in Northern Coahuila Mexico

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24 Upvotes

Can’t find any online with the same pattern. Any info would be appreciated!


r/fossilid 4h ago

Help a fossil hunter out 🙏😭

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid 1d ago

Fossils from Minnesota area (?)

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1.2k Upvotes

Hi, these fossils were purchased and presumably found in the Minnesota area. Does anyone have any insight on what they could be? Shrimp is about 2 inches long and the fish is maybe 3 inches.


r/fossilid 18h ago

Western Straits of Juan de Fuca, southern shore, Washington State.

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9 Upvotes

r/fossilid 1d ago

Coastal alabama but came from a delivered pile of landscaping rock

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258 Upvotes

So this bad boi could really be from anywhere! Not tested for hardness, though hubs tried doing a little polishing to get rid of the outer weathering a bit and he said it was difficult and he couldn't really work it.


r/fossilid 22h ago

Santa Cruz, CA rock with interesting patterns. Fossil or just bands?

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10 Upvotes

Any explanation of what might create a pattern like this is appreciated. Thanks!


r/fossilid 16h ago

Fossil or shell fragment? (mm scale)

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3 Upvotes

Sorting through Chesapeake bay sand for fossils and I’ve come across a few of these. Most were lighter in color and I assumed were modern shells, but the color of this one has me unsure. Excuse the photo quality, I’m using an iPhone through the eyepiece of an ancient dissecting microscope.


r/fossilid 18h ago

Can someone identify this fossil?

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5 Upvotes

r/fossilid 20h ago

Russia, Komi Republic

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7 Upvotes

Russia, Komi republic 2-6 is the same thing in different angles


r/fossilid 19h ago

Found these in my driveway

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5 Upvotes

I know these are usually from seabeds, but I just want to know exactly what these are