Fossils, Concretions, or Otherwise? From Big Brook, NJ

[LoreHunter]

Hi all!

 

New member and very novice fossil enthusiast here. My family and I just got into fossil hunting this year and I wanted to ask for help identifying some of our finds. We've been exploring the formation in Big Brook New Jersey for a while now, and we've found plenty of shells, shark teeth, and belemnite that are easier to identify. We've also found our fair share of tricky concretions and other fake-out fossils in the brooks. I'm still learning what to look for and how to tell the difference between bone and rock, but I've made some good progress!

 

Anyway, I wanted to ask about some of the trickier pieces in our little collection so far. I have a guess or two for some of them after poking around google, but mostly I'm stumped. Part of me is just looking for confirmation if they are anything at all, even if a specific ID isn't possible. I would absolutely love to hear any opinions or advice about them and what traits to look out for in the future!

(will post some close-ups in the replies)

 

1 & 2: They don't seem like teeth really, but they've got some interesting patterns and a pair of pronounced seams(?)

3: I'm 99% sure its fossilized bone, but might be too small of a fragment to tell what kind

4: The shape makes me curious, but could easily just be rock

5: I'm getting turtle vibes? No idea

6: The texture and shine make me think maybe Coprolite?

7: Much like 4, the shape is curious, but might be nothing. The texture is less rock-like than 4's, though

8. Sort of claw shaped? Maybe just rock

9. The hole pattern seems similar to some turtle or crocodile scute I've seen others come across

10 & 11: Skeptical, but not confident enough to rule them out

12: I've found a few concretions that have very similar inner/outer sections like this, but some of the patterns on the outside of this one make me uncertain if it's just rock

 

I'll follow up with some more close-ups, but thanks for any and all help anyone has to give  

 

Some close-ups of 1, 2 & 3

 

 

The 'seams' on 1 & 2 have me stumped

 

3 is probably too small to tell much about, but it's the first piece I've found (aside from shark teeth) that I've been pretty certain is bone and not rock

[LoreHunter]

 

 

4 & 7 are an interesting and similar shape, you can tell a bit better from the side

[Rockwood]

1 + 2 check here.    TFF 

[LoreHunter]

 

 

5 really seems like something, but what, I have no idea

 

6 I think might be coprolite, or just rock

8 might be just rock, but the shape and texture have me doubting

 

9 looks similar to some turtle, crocodile, or even coral fossils I've seen around the internet

10, 11, and 12 seem like pretty similar materials, but I've seen some similar concretions so I'm not sure about these

[Rockwood]

I'm afraid the rest are ironstone concretions. Different combinations of iron with the stone accounting for the variation.

[LoreHunter]

Oh darn! I really thought I had something there with 3 & 5. Oh well, it's not the first time they've fooled me and I'm sure it won't be the last!

 

Thank you for your help identifying the Belemnite Phragmocones!