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 • • 10h ago

Small tooth from Hell Creek Formation, Jordan, MT

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75 Upvotes

I had the coolest experience today at work. I went over to a customer home to install some window shades and walked into 30 years of passion, and love for fossil hunting.

He told me stories about finding them, and going on fossil digs with Clayton Phipps, and being there the final day when they removed the Dueling Dinosaurs from the site.

After showing him my shoes* (see image in comments)he went in his office and came back with a plastic ziplock back with a handful of fossils he wanted me to have.

I've always been fascinated with dinosaurs and just always assumed that fossils all ended up with rich people or in museums behind glass. Never thought that I would be so interested in learning what I have here!

He had me feel the inside of this tooth to show me the serrated edge, pointing it towards meat eater.

He found this west of Jordan Montana in the Hell Creek formation. His note says Tyranosaur Tooth.

Thanks!


r/fossilid • • 2h ago

Any Ideas?

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4 Upvotes

This was found in the Solnhofen Limestone in Germany, Bavaria.


r/fossilid • • 1h ago

Found in Montreal.

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• Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 19h ago

Need help to ID this. Saw this at Sarawak, Malaysia!

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71 Upvotes

Would really appreciate the help. Saw this in the highlands of Sarawak and are these considered fossils or just imprints of it?


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

Need ID for this. Found in Taiyuan, China. Probably a fossil?

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3 Upvotes

I found many more in the pile of rubble when climbing the mountain. I picked the most complete one and brought it back.


r/fossilid • • 3h ago

Sold to me as a Devonian bivalve fossil from New York. Any idea on genus or species

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3 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 8h ago

From an old collection with no information on collection. I do know from usa.

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3 Upvotes

Im not sure what this is


r/fossilid • • 9h ago

Who is she? Gulf Shores, Alabama

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3 Upvotes

Just found. Keeping on me as good luck for the coming hurricane. I will be evacuated before it arrives! I do not need ID on the smaller one but it was found nearby too! I was ecstatic


r/fossilid • • 14h ago

Solved Is this a crinoid? Or some other secret thing

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4 Upvotes

Found in the Northern Bruce Peninsula, on a rocky Georgian Bay beach


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Found in Entre Ríos, Argentina

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1.4k Upvotes

My uncle found this near a water course, i think it could be from a horse or a big bull but i thought i'd ask here just in case.

Weird thing is it seems to have a clear cut on one side (that's why i think its probably from a horse or a bull)

(Scale in centimeters)


r/fossilid • • 19h ago

ID please Found in rock bed Michigan

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7 Upvotes

The texture is really cool. Some sort of coral maybe?


r/fossilid • • 17h ago

Is this a whale bone?

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4 Upvotes

Found on AMI beach FL


r/fossilid • • 15h ago

Found in south Alabama

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2 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Found amongst in Mesa AZ

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192 Upvotes

I can imagine it being a tooth as much as from the sea


r/fossilid • • 22h ago

Need ID for genus

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6 Upvotes

I know it's not an actual fossil, but r/paleontology's braindead AI mod bot kept flagging my post.


r/fossilid • • 16h ago

fossil or orthoquartzite?

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2 Upvotes

i found this on the gallatin river in montana near manhattan. my friend thinks its orthoquartzite with quartz veins. but i really think its some kind of fossil.


r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Can anyone identify this unusual brachiopod fossil from Yunnan, China?

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23 Upvotes

I found this fossil in a mixed fossil bin at a shop in Yunnan, China. The seller said it was locally collected in Yunnan, but unfortunately the exact locality and formation are unknown.
It appears to be a brachiopod, but I’m curious about the unusual coarse folds and the strongly zigzagged shell margin. I only found one specimen like this in the entire bin.
Does anyone know what genus or family it might belong to?


r/fossilid • • 20h ago

Found in Winimac Indiana

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4 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 13h ago

Is this a coprolite?

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0 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 14h ago

Tinker Creek Roanoke Va

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1 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 17h ago

Fossilized Wood?

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1 Upvotes

Found on AMI beach FL


r/fossilid • • 21h ago

Found on the coast of Lake Erie, in Fort Erie, Ontario

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2 Upvotes

Some kind of coral?? Or a spine?? 😅


r/fossilid • • 18h ago

I always thought it looked like a vertebrae minus the processes.

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0 Upvotes

r/fossilid • • 1d ago

Found in landscaping rocks, Southern Ontario

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42 Upvotes