Found This on Beach, San Pedro California: What is it and how old is it?

[History Hunter]

I’m grateful to have found this forum, and am new to this hobby.  

My son and I have dug shark teeth and trilobites, but we found this near Long Beach CA on the shore at San Pedro.  

 

Any ideas of what it is, and how old it is?  I first thought it was a whale vertebrae column, but now I’m not so sure.  

 

It measures APPROXIMATELY 20 inches in overall diameter.

Also, I’m we are collectors and not interested in selling it, but it’d be cool to know if we found a valuable treasure or not (it is to us), so if anybody has an idea of actual monetary value, I’d love to know.  Thanks in advance!

 

 

[Brevicollis]

I have no idea what it belongs too or how old it is, but that a NICE find ! Belonged probably to something big. And sorry to say, but the Forum does not provide any price estimates on the open boards, just to let you know. For the future 

 

@Boesse, @Harry Pristis might have an idea, on what it could be...

Edited April 30 by Brevicollis

[History Hunter]

Thank you much, and I will refrain from asking about monetary value in the future.  I'm thinking of taking it to one of the museums locally.  I'm fascinated by what it might be.  

[Ivaldir]

If possible, some extra pictures are needed

[History Hunter]

I will take more pictures tomorrow … I was on my way to Catalina Island for some diving, and am there presently.  When I get back to the mainland I’ll shoot more (the fossil is in my car).  This is absolutely fascinating - I didn’t know fossilized bones still had such detail on the interior (I don’t know what the lattice-structure inside the bone is called).

Edited April 30 by History Hunter

[Kane]

Fossil preparation is a mix of art and science... if not also good tools and patience! If you haven't seen it already, we have an entire subforum dedicated to it chock full with enough reading and advice to keep you occupied!  

 

https://www.thefossilforum.com/forum/170-fossil-preparation/

[Fossildude19]

If you take more pictures, please include some type of ruler or tape measure.

Size is important to identifying things.   

[History Hunter]

Okay,thanks for both suggestions.  I’ll look at the fossil preparation part of this website, and when I take pictures tomorrow, I’ll definitely include tape measures for reference.

[Mark Kmiecik]

22 hours ago, History Hunter said:

I’ll look at the fossil preparation part of this website

 

If you've never done any fossil prepararion before, don't start on this piece. You'll probably mess it up. It's a great specimen. Don't ruin it.

[Mahnmut]

Hi,

cool find!

The latticework inside the bones is called spongiosa (sponge like bone) as opposed to corticalis, the dense outer "bark" of a bone.

I think whale is a good first guess for the location, size and shape, but others who know more will be able to tell you.

Best regards,

J

[History Hunter]

I just got home tonight so please forgive the dark pics.  It was a little smaller than I remembered!  More to follow tomorrow.  

[Sjfriend]

To me it looks like vertebrate of some sort. Cool find! Local museum should be able to help ID.

[History Hunter]

So I heard back from someone at the San Diego natural history Museum. Apparently what I have is a section of thoracic vertebrae firm a mysticete baleen whale.  Archaic baleen whales include stem mysticetes, they appeared in the late Eocene (34 million years ago) or earliest Oligocene, diversified in the late Oligocene, and appear to have been extinct before the Miocene (23 million) began.  Pretty cool for my first fossil find!

[Doctor Mud]

17 minutes ago, History Hunter said:

Pretty cool for my first fossil find!

I agree! Here’s to many more exciting finds in the future. 

[Fin Lover]

22 minutes ago, History Hunter said:

Pretty cool for my first fossil find!

Oh, wow, that's your first fossil?  Excellent find!

[Tidgy's Dad]

27 minutes ago, History Hunter said:

So I heard back from someone at the San Diego natural history Museum. Apparently what I have is a section of thoracic vertebrae firm a mysticete baleen whale.  Archaic baleen whales include stem mysticetes, they appeared in the late Eocene (34 million years ago) or earliest Oligocene, diversified in the late Oligocene, and appear to have been extinct before the Miocene (23 million) began.  Pretty cool for my first fossil find!

[FossilNerd]

Hip hip hooray! 

[Sjfriend]

That's a bad way to start your fossil hunting as now you'll be jaded That is a great find even after years of hunting!