Dinosaur eggs

[Runzwsizzorz]

Hello! I was wondering if first, someone knows of a website where I can figure out if what I have is an egg and second, where I might sell it if it is the real deal. I appreciate any information! Thank you.

[Kane]

You could always post it here for expert opinion. Not sure we can provide much guidance on selling it as we are largely an educational forum.

[Ludwigia]

A lot of members on this website can give you their expert opinion on whether or not your specimen is a fossilized egg, but we would of course need sharply focussed and detailed photos for the determination. We do not do appraisals here, but we can certainly give you enough information for making your own decisions.

[Kane]

And we should add: could you tell us something about where it was acquired (location if personally collected, or stated location of origin if through a seller or as a gift)? Sadly, as you may know, there is a very large market for fossilized eggs - many of which can be complete fakes or composites. Some of the fakes are quite cleverly produced in terms of ensuring consistent texture and matrix, so even some of our expert members may not be able to grant a full guarantee of the specimen's authenticity without having the specimen in hand.

[Troodon]

Please post it here and we will give you our opinion.  If it's real you can always put it on an auction site to sell it but thats putting the cart before the horse.

[abyssunder]

I agree with the others. Welcome to TFF !

[Runzwsizzorz]

Thank you all for replying! I apologize for not being able to respond sooner. Here are some pictures for y'all's opinion. This was collected by a friend of mine in the Llano River in Llano County, TX.

[Micah]

I'm no expert on dinosaurs, but to me this looks like a chert nodule. Could you give us size reference, I'm pretty sure of my answer, but I'll let the experts handle it.

[westcoast]

We are a cautious bunch here on TFF as things are often not quite what they seem and we really like to handle specimens before being definitive but..... that is absolutely 200% certainly not a dinosaur egg. Its 'just' a rock. It may be useful as a doorstop. We all have plenty of those 'what might have been' rocks so keep looking and please continue to post anything you find here.

[Rockwood]

This shape is far to common to be relied on as an indicator. Shell has a distinct texture that is not seen here.

Remember birds are avian dinosaurs. The non-avian dinosaurs laid eggs that had a similar texture.

[Runzwsizzorz]

Thanks so much for your opinions! I've gone and looked through all the pictures for chert nodule that I could find and nothing really fits. Okay, not an egg. Are there any ... tests that he can do, maybe home type tests, to determine what kind of rock or whaver he has here, in addition to the hundreds of other rocks he has? Sorry for my ignorance. Ignorance can be taught - so I'm learning!

Thanks.

[Fossildude19]

No eggshell texture - no evidence of "shell" breakage, which almost all fossil eggs exhibit.

I agree this is a chert cobble, or nodule.  Rocks can be shaped due to rolling in rough environments, and erosion, water wear, etc. 

Not all nodules or concretions look the same. But they are quite often, mistaken for eggs. 

No tests to prove one way or another - you could try to put a bit of vinegar on it, and it might tell you whether it is limestone, if it fizzes. (reacts with the acetic acid in the vinegar)

 

I don't believe there is any record of dinosaur or fossil eggs being found in Texas. Not positive, but a quick google search turned up nothing. 

 

I would say that 98% of  "fossil eggs" posted here on the Forum turn out to be concretions or nodules.  

Regards, 

 

 

 

[EMP]

4 hours ago, Runzwsizzorz said:

Thanks so much for your opinions! I've gone and looked through all the pictures for chert nodule that I could find and nothing really fits. Okay, not an egg. Are there any ... tests that he can do, maybe home type tests, to determine what kind of rock or whaver he has here, in addition to the hundreds of other rocks he has? Sorry for my ignorance. Ignorance can be taught - so I'm learning!

Thanks.

 

Yes there are some tests (okay maybe not "tests", but ways to tell).

 

First thing to do is drop it in some vinegar and see if it bubbles ("fizzes"). This means that it contains a compound that is reacting with the acid in the vinegar to form CO2 gas, which more often then not is the mineral CaCO3 which is the principle component of the rock limestone. However, any rock with sufficient carbonate concentration (like calcareous shale or sandstone) can also react to varying degrees, so be weary.

 

Next is to figure out the grain size. Does it feel gritty, like sandpaper? Chances are then it's made out of sand, and likely a sandstone. Does it look grainy/gritty but feel smooth? Chances are it's a shale, siltstone, or slate. At this point one would require a geologic map (just google for one for your area) to see what formation this comes from and what rock types occur in it, however slates *usually* tend to be harder than shales and have more cleavage. Siltstones tend to just be massive without any clear layering.

 

Is it crystalline? Does it not react with vinegar or any other weak acids? Chances are it's chert, or some other silicate mineral.

[erose]

May I suggest a drop of vinegar not dropping it in vinegar. Would be a waste of good vinegar...

 

PS chert cones in many forms and there is no typical chert nodule. But it does look like chert or maybe another fine quartz rock.