Forums

Any general discussions about fossils & paleontology

Post your fossiling adventures here!

PLEASE be circumspect about posting maps or coordinates to areas you hunt.

Only share generalized location info.

Can't figure out what that fossil is? Post bright, sharp images here for identification.

(Note that responses & confidence increase with image quality!) 

>Please be sure to state where the item was found in the body of your initial post.

> Be sure to add a GENERAL Location - no maps, or GPS coordinates.  County or region should be good enough.

> Please do not post links to websites, nor identify or incriminate a seller in any way- Do Not Copy or screenshot advertisement verbiage. 

>You may post pictures only, from a commercial website, but no word for word Advert. Copy. 
>Re-size your pictures, per the tips in our FAQ forum.
>Please understand that we do not appraise value!

This forum is devoted to illuminating the pitfalls to be avoided when considering the purchase of fossils. 

Please do not post links to websites, nor identify or incriminate a seller in any way- Do Not Copy or screenshot advertisement verbiage or post prices. 

For our educational purposes, the sellers' identity and pricing are immaterial; this is all about the specimens. 

Please read and follow the guidelines found in the Pinned topic below.

>In this forum, we promote and celebrate our amateur contributions to the paleontological sciences. There are many volunteer opportunities to play an important role in furthering the science, and to learn new skills. Whether by volunteering their time (lab work, collections maintenance, organized field work), or through the donation of significant specimens, to scientific institutions, amateurs have always played an important but unheralded part!

>The pinned topic "Fossil Contributions to Paleontology - The Gallery" is an annotated image archive of member-found specimens now residing in museum collections; further discussion of them will be found in linked topics in this forum. ADDING YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THIS THREAD WILL EARN THE PARTNER AWARD FOR YOUR PROFILE.

>All the other topics in this forum are for the discussion of amateurs' collaboration with professionals; science at its best.

Ask anything you want to know* about fossils in general; maybe someone here will have the answer!
*For identification of specific fossils, post in Fossil ID for best results..
>Please understand that we do not appraise value!

The Winners Gallery and the Official Contests for the Find of the Month.

Rules for The Fossil Forum's Vertebrate and Invertebrate/Plant Find of the Month Contests

1. Find a great Vertebrate Fossil or Invertebrate/Plant Fossil! Only fossils found personally by you are allowed. NO PURCHASED FOSSILS.
2. Post your entry in the Find of the Month topic. Use a separate post for each entry. (Only two entries per member per contest category.)
3. Your fossil must have been found during the Month of the Contest, or Significant Preparation * of your fossil must have been completed during the Month of the Contest.
4. You must include the Date of Discovery (when found in the contest month); or the Date of Preparation Completion and Date of Discovery (if not found in the contest month).
5. Before and After Preparation photos must be submitted for prepped specimens not found during the Month of the Contest. Please make sure you arrange for photos if someone else is preparing your fossil find and completes the prep requirements in the contest month.
6. You must include the Common and/or Scientific Name.
7. You must include the Geologic Age or Geologic Formation where the fossil was found.
8. You must include the State, Province, or region where the fossil was found.
9. You must include CLEAR, cropped, well-lit images (maximum 4 images). If you are proud enough of your fossil to submit it for FOTM, spend some time to take good photos to show off your fossil.
10. Play fair and honest. No bought fossils. No false claims.

* Significant Preparation = Substantial work to reveal and/or repair important diagnostic features, resulting in a dramatic change in the look of the fossil. The qualification of Significant Preparation is decided at the discretion of staff. Any doubts as to the eligibility of the entry will be discussed directly with the entrant.

******* Please use the following format for the required information: *******

Entries not using the prescribed format WILL NOT be included in the contest. 

• Date of Discovery
• Scientific and/or Common Name
• Geologic Age or Geologic Formation
• State, Province, or Region Found
• Photos of Find  - Please limit to 4 clear, cropped, and well-lit images.
  (If prepped, before and after photos are required, please.)

*NOTE TO NEW MEMBERS:

New members are not allowed to enter or vote in the Fossil of the Month contest. 

This is a delayed privilege given to members who are in good standing, and who participate in the Forum regularly with substantive posts. 

Show off your own collection of fossils

A forum to showcase Paleontological museums and their fossil exhibits. Have one near you? Take us along!

For members' original paleontological artworks of graphic (life renderings, display backgrounds, ID posters) and sculptural (models, carvings) natures.

Tools and techniques

Tools and techniques

We have amended Member-to-Member Trades to differ a bit from the restrictions imposed on member sales.

We enjoy an honest, tight knit community. However, we do occasionally have the odd interloper who will try to take advantage of our open nature.  So, when dealing with less active or new members,  please be sure to check photos of items offered.  Do a reverse image search to make sure they have not been copied from elsewhere online.  Ask questions, and get many photos.  Remember...if it seems too good to be true...it usually isn't true.

For just this reason, we have made the Member to Member Trades Forum a delayed permission. After a reasonable number of substantive posts, the permission will automatically be granted.

As always, if you have any concerns a member is dishonestly trading on TFF, please privately contact anyone on the Staff. 

You may express your initial interests here, or as opportunity might present in other discussion topics; once contact with a trading partner is made, please continue your arrangements via private message. Public notes on successful exchanges are encouraged; disputes must be settled privately.

Please note that transactions done thus must be pure trades, with no money changing hands; beyond that, the transaction may take any form that both participants agree to as equitable.  Fossils offered here cannot be concurrently offered elsewhere online.

Since we are primarily a Fossil Forum, we ask that trades be limited to  Fossils and things directly related to the avocation ONLY. 

Fossils, paleontological tools, display and storage fixtures, and literature. NO JEWELRY, MODERN SHELLS, SHARK TEETH, or JAWS, PLEASE.

Please remember: the Fossil Forum cannot be held accountable for bad trades. 

Please be sure about what you are trading for. 

Blind Trades are NOT recommended. TRADE AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

There is no recourse through the Forum for bad deals. Know who you are trading with. 

It is NOT the responsibility of The Fossil Forum to mediate disputes; this is solely the responsibility of the parties involved, and must be undertaken privately and off-forum.

Have some excess fossils from your journeys? Want to recoup a little gas money? 

The Member to Member Sales Forum is intended to be a place where people can sell excess specimens, tools, or literature.

Or the same type of items that they just no longer want.

It is not intended to be commercial endeavor or market stall on the Forum.

This is intended to be a place where people can sell their extra fossils, tools, or literature.

***PLEASE NOTE:

Access to the sales area is a DELAYED PERMISSION. This gives us a chance to get to know you, and to weed out commercial dealers and spammers who only wish to sell here on the Forum without participating in other ways.

Please understand that the sales sub-forum is intended for the sale of surplus items, mostly to defray the cost of trips and equipment, and not as a major sales vehicle per se.

We strongly encourage members to engage the community beyond commercial transactions. Staff reserve the right to rescind the privilege of accessing the sales forum if a member is deemed to be in violation of the spirit and intent of the sales sub-forum.

The same substantial and significant community engagement that was necessary to lift restrictions on access to the sales sub-forum is expected to continue in order to retain those privileges.

PLEASE READ THESE RULES:

> For sales between members:

> Please, NO marketing of commercial websites, including Ebay, and Etsy.

> Items offered for sale here should not be concurrently offered through other venues, either via online OR brick and mortar stores.

> Also, NO marketing of services. (for example: preparation or restoration).

> Posting access to this forum is a Privilege restricted to members who have established themselves by contributing a reasonable, fixed number of posts of substance. Once you are approved, please read the Member Sales Policy AND pinned topics before posting or responding in this forum!

> Fossils and things directly related to the avocation ONLY. 

Fossils, paleontological tools, display and storage fixtures, and literature. NO JEWELRY, PLEASE.

>Clear photos and specific pricing per item are required.

>We cannot perform $$ appraisals, but opinions as to relative quality can be offered.

> NO AUCTIONS!

While we had allowed Auctions here in the past, we do not feel that this is the correct venue for auctions.

We feel that the rule that states specific pricing is required comes into direct conflict with Auction Sales, and should not be allowed here.

 Other websites are better equipped to handle this type of sale. 

For transparency sake, Please post detailed photos of the fossils being offered.

Each fossil must have a specific price. 

You may express your initial interests here; once contact with a sales partner is made, please continue your arrangements via private message.

Public notes on successful exchanges are encouraged; disputes must be settled privately.

The Forum cannot be held liable for deals gone wrong. 

Buy and Sell at your own risk.

News from the world of fossils & paleontology

Have your own non-commercial website about fossils? Post it here!

Fossil related websites and links

Tips and techniques to better photograph fossils.

Talk about fossil-related books and magazines

Share fossil documents here.