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Hi everybody from the middle-of-nowhere in the Nebraska Panhandle! I am a brand new fossil hunter....so brand new, in fact, that I just found my very first fossil (shark tooth) on a trip to South Carolina last week. I went on a guided excursion and found all sorts of other stuff than toofs as well. I am also hopefully making a trip to split some rocks in the Green RIver Formation area in Wyoming later this year. I also am wanting to learn some basic fossil prep, so I've been reading those threads a lot lately. Haven't worked up the courage to try some of my own yet, but still too cold here to work out in my garage anyway I am partial to ceratopsian dinos....see my photo in the plastic dinos thread! They're my favorite. Thanks for letting me join!

Hi! I'm brand new to the world of fossils and was wondering if anyone had any pointers on where/how to look for fossils? I live on the central coast, which is about 1.5 hours north of Sydney. I've been trying to do research and looking at geology maps, but just cant seem to understand where the best places would be. I found this Geoscience Australia interactive geology map that seems useful but there's so much in it, it's a little overwhelming. From what i have gathered, I live on triassic sedimentary rocks that as far as i can tell haven't yielded very many fossils, though I might be mistaken. However, further north in Newcastle there are permian age rocks that are known the yield abundant plant fossils. I have tried to just google fossil hunting sites in NSW, but that has proved unhelpful, with most being very far away. I've hit a bit of a dead end with figuring out where to go, does anyone have any tips? Where should I be looking for this kind of information? Also, what kind of fossils would be easiest for me to find as a beginner? Thankyou for any help

Hi Everyone! I'm a molecular biologist, and every time I do an outreach event folks end up asking me about dinosaurs (jurassic park, de-extinction, etc). Anyway, I don't know much about ACTUAL dinosaurs, but maybe I should - eager to learn. Happy to be here and interested in any recommended books/resources. Thanks for letting me join.

I just bought this giant Cambrian trilobite fossil from a consignment shop that specializes more in carpets than in fossils. I am a beginner at fossils and didn't realize until after purchasing that this type of fossil is very frequently faked. Does any part of this look real to you all or does it look like a composite/ cast? I am particularly suspicious of the bottom left portion which looks carved to me, but again my knowledge is very limited so I am open to the possibility it is entirely fake. I did shine a UV light on it but am not exactly sure what I am supposed to be looking for there? Also, I am not sure if this is relevant but it has a strong rusty smell to it. If it is fake, I will reach out to my friends at the shop and see what my options are; I am one of their favorite customers haha as I have purchased a lot of high-ticket carpets from them, so I feel confident they will make me whole in one way or another.

Hi, I’m a beginner. Currently in Kentucky. Any advice is highly appreciate it. Do y’all have any coordinates in Kentucky you guys recommend. this is the fossils I found in this area.

Well, another little find at Wrightsville Beach, NC. I am still so new to fossil collecting, but have been trying to ID this online and in my fossil books. Maybe a whale or porp. bone. Pretty excited about this because it will be my first one, if that is what it is. Measurments: 40mm x 25mm Any help is appreciated!

GM everyone, When searching for sharks teeth, it is often helpful to have a good head lamp, even in the day. The light reflects off the enamel. Obviously, good to have one for night/early morning digs as well. Being a beginner, I have taken our hiking headlamps when I dig. But they are weak. Prob. no more than 1500 lumens. ANyone have headlamp recommendations out there? I would think 50,000 lumens and above at least. What do others use? TB

If you're a beginner I'd leave it as is except for giving it a good scrub with soap and water. Someone who knows what he's doing could try to carefully remove the matrix in the center. What does the reverse side look like?

Well it started with a pile of dirt! The first photo you see is the fossilized coral piece I found. A small piece was sparkling in the sun. I picked up this huge rock/ball/ dried dirt/ old mud. I took it home, washed it and I was hooked! After, is more of what I found. I'm just a beginner so if something is wrong let me know!

any ideas if real meteorite all magnetic past the scratch test and windows opened im just a beginner be gentle thank-you

Thanks, it does feel like how one chooses to define species can get very philosophical. One should really take my opinion above as a thought experiment over fact- the reason researchers study evolution is because no one outright just knows how it works, else why would researchers continue looking at it? I’m still very much a beginner with addressing questions like these, so I’m sure my perspective will adapt and change in the future. But this is a fun rabbit hole to chase for now. In paleo, you’re restricted to type specimens- that’s all the data you have, and evolution is by no means a smooth gradient in reality, since features can fixate in populations very quickly sometimes. However, even something quick can exist on a gradient of sorts- perhaps just a compressed one. Maybe only in posts from a bum who has too much time to think about things does it take a form that looks like smooth transition, lol. What you mentioned about the philosophy of colors relating to this also moves into freakier realms… numbers exist according to similar rules. Sure- you can have one item or two items, yes, that’s real… but when looking at numbers graphically, it’s as if we artificially chose points along a line of infinity and decided, just for the sake of having a starting point for comparing such points, that numbers should be some such way. Another cool though experiment that can produce endless rabbit holes.

It looks like a possible match with the most common Florissant fish: Trichophanes foliarum Congrats! Meyer, H.W. 2003 The Fossils of Florissant. Smithsonian Books, 258 pp.

I'm new to fossil hunting myself. So let me add a few things that I haven't seen in the forums for finding sites. First off, I kinda took the long approach. I'll give the steps I have taken. I tried to jump to the "point me to a site to dig and find a fossil", litterally only 1 site in Illinois <where I live> is famous and openned to all for part of the year... Mazon Creek <which unfortunately is a day trip away for me> So started using google. Everything still pointed to Mazon Creek or Rockford area <even farther away>. Now Mazon creek fossils are famous and worth the trip and chance to collect. But, its heavily collected, over grown this time of year. <I learned the hard way by visiting> Now onto my approach to this. I started with some of original geological surveys for my state. <talking 1880's reports for my state>. The great part about this portion was reading the reports and understanding what was here before all the major cities, highways, dams and general human land modifications that have occured. The shear amount of geographic modifications we humans do, its down right scary. But, the best part about this. It is that these first geologists where not biased to one location or another. They noted what they found and where. The Economical surveys have proven to be my best finds so far, Since the geologists used the found fossils at these sites to build up the picture of the geological layering and composition of the forming regions. And the best part is they were using the same Quadrangle maps that became standard for the USGS civil mapping projects back then. The maps break down to the township and section locations then break down to the location with in the grid. It really narrows it down quite a bit. In addition to the geology of a area, they not unique features at times, stone quarrys, clay pits and old mines. Not only vertical mines, but also slope mines and bank excavations. Nearly all of these sites have been abandoned and forgotten now. From the orginal surveys I worked up thru the years. I did not read every county within the survey. I concentrated on things within an hour drive of home. So this narrowed my reading down to approx 8 counties. Unfortunately what i found going up thru the surveys and closer to present. They changed more and more into technical mobo jumbo that I didnt go to college for. They were less and less deverse and started to lack clues of where to locate my objective. Which was always easily reachable fossils. Most of those surveys are free online, either thru your state geological survey department or most e-book retailers even have some for free. Personally I have a nook, so i use Barnes and Nobles, IGSG and USGS for alot of my stuff. Additionally Quadrangle maps, 7.5 minute, 30 minute and 1:100,000 USGS maps and topographies. I cant stress they maps enough. These maps come in MANY types. examples I use now: topography, surface deposit, quaternary deposit, loess, moraines deposits. Now the newer maps <since 2008> have been updated to be more percise than the older maps, so somethings are a little off from what you will read in these old surveys. But Its easy to cross reference the locations since each of the locations will mention the land holders name 9 times out of 10. With that information you can check at a local library in that county for a Plat Book for the year in question and narrow it down further. But most of the times you get the general area. Now the above information will kinda give you a idea of whats actually around and under all that concrete thats been poured. Next came the fun parts and also make interesting days trips for learning the geology in your area. Geological Field Trip Guide Books! Geological Field Trip Guide Books are basicly a field trip containing a route, locations and points of interest. Here in Illinois the ISGS has 4 annual field trips. They are basicly a way to engage the public to geology. Each book has a Full route, Map, distance, what is at each stop and some historical facts. They are designed to not only follow along with on the day of that planned field trip, but also to be followed by other groups or individuals at later times. In nearly each field trip I have read thru, there is at least 1 stop for collecting Rocks or Fossils. And each time they have been a site I may have driven past a dozen times in my life and never thought to look there. Older field guides are usually available for free off most geological survey sites. However newer ones may cost a few dollars. Most have been made available online but pre 1985 ones here in Illinois have to be purchased printed for a couple bucks from the geological survey. Now next up on my reading list was my state geology book. Here in Illinois our ISGS <Illinois State Geological Survey> has a book written by them with a complete overview of the state geology. This filled in alot of gaps for me and has started to lay a firm ground work for my knowlege <It ain't all greek anymore!!!> I attempted to read this first, but alot didnt make sense to me, partly due to the fact the local geology was a mystery since I just moved here not long ago. Beyond that I have read a few other geology books for my area of the country. At last I found my "bible" per say at my local library. Its called "Fossils for Amateurs - A handbook for collectors" by Russel P. MacFall and Jay Wollin. I really wish I would have started with this book. The book was written in 1972, but every bit of it is still valid. This is a "must" purchase. After borrowing it from the library, I ended up searching and buying a near mint copy off Amazon for $11. Unfortunately there are no active geological clubs around me. There was one, but there website has been defunct for over 2 years now. Check for a local club, this would be a great option. Last but not least, Surfing the net! I just browse and find some interesting things now and again. Some youtube video, flickr <thanks to alot of cams now having GPS>, facebook, news article or blog post. Found a few leads this way. I will also say i've found a few sites that were illegal to hunt and collect in this way too. But take those sites and view the geology and most times you will find a site outside of the park boundaries that is accessable and huntable Now all thru my journey thru this "education" process I have been documenting the sites mentioned thru all of these sources thru Google Earth. This gives me the satalite view of the areas and a way to plot them. Once I visit a site and locate specimans I use my Garmin GPS to note the exact location and Log them in my journal. That way I can update the locations on my google earth files. In addition, google earth and streetview are excellent for discovering rock outcrops, streams, and interesting features while Im planning my excursion. This allows me to have a goal, but also gives me alternate sites incase the first place is a bust. So that has been my approach, so far I have cataloged approx 50 sites from my research. I've only had time so far to Verify 3 due to work schedule and crappy spring-summer weather. Each one in a place that was "Bull dozed by glaciers" and buried under yards of loess. Luckily for me, There are Silurian and thin devonian beds in my coverage area. And I am quite partial to those eras. But most eras above the Pennsylvanian has been cleared by the glacial advances over the last 100k years. Still I have hope that maybe one day I'll come accross some loess from the jurassic that was sheared off and deposited in a moraine contaning a dino bone and become the first person to locate one in Illinois Ok thats my 2 cents and journey. I'm moving this from a response I added in the Q&A forum on the advice of CoCo My take of this may be a bit unique, but so far I believe its working. And one other thing, which has turned out to be my biggest and best reference so far. This site, and the people on it!

I'm working on ID's. Think I may have been successful on several using multiple websites specific to Nashville and a few books I have on hand. Some smaller, individual Brachiopods and a piece of Calcite, I believe. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

I recently bought this tooth from an online auction site. It is listed as being 100% natural. I am a beginner to collection fossils, but especially the back looks a bit patched up. Hope some of you more knowledgable collectors can help me on this. This last picture I was sent by the seller, when it was still in it's matrix.

Really love seeing those shots of Pit 11 as it presently lays. We did it in the 1960s when there was far less vegetation and growth on the hills. Got some really great flora out of there on those trips and an insect or two, maybe some worms, it's hard to recall, exactly, right now. We just cracked them open right there on the spot, didn't know any better, really. Pretty much all opened well, from what I recall, you just had to know where to tap them. You literally walked right over them, even climbing up the hills. Remember too we got boxes of pamphlets and books and maps and such from the Illinois State Geological Survey, the documentation free or just pennies, then, and I still got my stash. Keep up the good work, everybody, and thanks for sharing. Brings back some truly great memories for this crusty old ironstone concretion.

Hello y'all, I recently got my Dremel 290, and I haven't actually prepped anything with it yet, as I have just played around with it on a scrap fossil to get a feel for it. I decided to start my first actual prep, and I figured I'd bring y'all along with me as I thought it might help others just starting out by learning from my mistakes (hopefully not too many). Well, here goes. This is a small brachipod I found, and is not very impressive, so I'm not afraid of ruining it. Then again, if this turns out the way I hope, it will be a very attractive desk display piece. Found in Kansas City area, in a roadcut that has the best mineralization I've seen yet here. Some of the shells will be black, and I have found a few that have nice blues and reds. This one is mainly grey. Before leaving town this past week, I was able to get about 30 min in. Started with leveling the matrix around the fossil a bit, then started work on removing matrix from this fossil. Hurts to scribe right through these spines, maybe someday I'll learn how to air abrasion, and be able to save the spines similarly to those spectacular trilobites we've all seen. Leveling the matrix: And getting to work on the shell: Hopefully y'all enjoyed this. I will be posting here as progress is made. Won't be able to work on it until next Monday, see y'all then! Have a great weekend.

The Southwest Paleontological Society in association with the Arizona Natural History Museum (formerly the Mesa Southwest Museum) in Mesa, Arizona would like to give away sets of their in print publications to place in permanent collections of libraries, geological institutions and the like. Here is a link to publications of the Arizona Natural History Museum that describes the issues. The first three are out of print. https://www.arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org/for-educators/paleontology/publications Also, does anyone have any suggestions of institutions to contact? I am contacting the major Arizona schools and libraries along with UT Austin in Texas and UC Berkeley. You can post replies here or PM me. Thanks, John

@Kato You've got some really nice specimens from a really interesting location here! Most of the specimens are indeed neuropterids. Some of the variability in pinnule shape will be related to position in the frond (a penultimate pinna may bear ultimate pinna at its base, grading into elongate pinnules towards its apex), but I think you're dealing with multiple species (this specimen, for example, is set apart by its pinnules having basiscopic auricles). At least a couple of the specimens show venation on the photographs, so a more precise identification might be possible. It would be helpful to get a better sense of scale, though. Quantitative measurements like vein density can also help distinguish species... As you wrote already, this specimen has "sphenopterid" pinnules, in the broadest sense of the term. Note the rachis is rather stout (see bottom right corner of photo). Unfortunately, the venation is hard to see on the somewhat underlit photo. Could you perhaps make a few additional ones of this particular piece and add a scale? Would be happy to take a stab at this one (would need to go through a few books, though, so this will take some time). P.S. Have you been able to narrow down the age since your initial posts in 2019? According to your stratigraphic column, the Gobbler Fm. ranges from the late Marrowan to Missourian. This corresponds to the latest Namurian (?), the entire Westphalian, and early Stephanian regional stages on my side of the Atlantic. And that is a rather long window!

20th October for was the date of the find. Whilst walking on one of my local beaches south wales, I was alerted to some very unusual looking shapes by my sons Charlie and Dylan so I will pass any awards/credit onto them, it didn’t take me long to realise it was anthracosaurus as I have studied and collected previously. Infact I posted the anthracite fossils on here and was not only told I had rocks with mineral staining but that the teeth shapes were coincidence. Even after i commented on how crocodilian some of the rocks looked, it’s no bother even snarge plumbers plumbers have the same certificate. Luckily I’m not stupid enough to throw away a prehistoric natural wonder. I’ve also attatched some pics of Carboniferous teeth from my garden that hadn’t lost their enamel so if you. Could retake a look at those I’d be grateful, thanks!!

As I have learned more about fossil collecting I have been limited to surface collecting. But I have wanted to learn how to split shale and what to look for when searching for various cross sections of trilobites, crinoids, etc... in my area. Are there any books or articles I should look through and read, about shale splitting for the Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky area.

The Maquoketa coquina of cephalopods AK Miller, W Youngquist - Journal of Paleontology, 1949 - JSTOR Upper Ordovician Maquoketa formation in the Graf area, eastern Iowa M STRATIGRAPHY - North-Central Section of the Geological …, 1987 - books.google.com

Won the bid on these books. Has anyone read, or own the same books? I didn't pay much for them, so no big loss if they aren't good. Just curious if anyone has read them and their thoughts.

Recently, a box of rocks arrived in the mail from Hull, England. The rocks are specifically Ammonites in matrix. The species all seem to be Dactylioceras based on what is exposed but that ID could also change once they are prepped. I’ve just barely started fossil prepping with an electric engraver and in previous years of casual collecting the rock hammer was the only tool used. CRACK! Oh, look at that! A fossil trilobite! Prepping done. Yeah, that was it. The Dremel 290 engraver is a “gateway” tool and only with proper tungsten carbide tips replacing the original stylus does the engraver become a lot more capable at removing matrix. Off to a good start, IMO, on the first Ammonite and I’ve already discovered some of what I’ve seen in videos ...i.e. - sticky matrix, pyritic matrix, hard veins of calcite and other fun stuff. The Dremel has its place but I can see the need for an air pen/scribe already. Like I said, it’s a “gateway” tool. Surprisingly, a number of Brits in the preparation discipline/hobby have also tried out the engravers and most say it works, just slower than air tools. So when the Zoic crew get back from their vacay I’ll be placing an order with them. I did buy the 3 pack styli kit from them and like what they offer. There’s an air compressor in the garage ready and waiting. Here’s the contents of my ‘box of rocks’ and a second is en route from across the pond already. This one looked like the low hanging fruit so I’m starting with it. The Dremel with the Zoic stylus chewed right into it with chips flying. The dome reduced nicely until about halfway and I’ve run into pyritic hard stuff. Slow going. So I grabbed another tool and cut some shallow grooves to allow the stylus some chipping purchase. It really helped. Once again the chips are flying and the ribbed whorls are appearing. I’m keeping the sessions under an hour each to avoid overheating the engraver. Thus far it’s not even getting very warm. Fossil prepping technique is new to me and plowing through harder shale is not a bull in a china shop job. More like finesse work. Find the right angle, the right contact point and touch the matrix. At times it seems that the only pressure of the tool is next to nothing. Make contact, pull back to the lightest touch and Pop! Off goes the chip. Fingers crossed! So far I've only done some rough matrix removal. The higher magnification, dental tools and needle work plus air abrasion is to come. Any tips, critique, advice, comments, whatever are welcome. Steve

Hello. I am a beginner fossil hunter and collector. About an hour ago, I went to the bookstore near my country property and bought two teeth. One I believe I have identified as a Tiger shark tooth, coming from Bone Valley (Polk County, Florida). However the second is more mysterious. It appears to be a small baby megalodon tooth without a bourlette. It measures 1.9 cm (0.75 inches). It also appears to have potentially lost part of its root. It appears vaguely similar in shape to my Megalodon tooth. If someone can potentially identify it, that would be great!