How to Tell if a Fossil is Authentic
If you’ve found a fossil specimen or you want to buy one secondhand, the first thing you’ll want to do is make sure it’s the real deal. Given the inherent rarity and desirability of fossilized artifacts, it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of forgeries and replicas.
Paleontologists and geologists take several factors into account when determining a fossil’s authenticity and age. Even without tools and highly specialized knowledge, you can make some of these observations yourself with any specimens you find or purchase.
Paleontologists often start by noticing if a specimen feels abnormally dense.
According to the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University, permineralization, the process by which organic remains are replaced by minerals over time, makes authentic fossils heavier than pure rock or bone
Surface texture and porosity are other features that set authentic fossils apart. Bone and shell have unique textures. Paleontologists and other experts will look for pores or signs of cellular structure. If you’re brave, you can even try what geologists call the “lick test.” Fossilized bone or shell tends to stick to the tongue due to natural pores.
Additionally, real fossils often have natural wear, like hairline cracks or chips. Authentic fossils usually show uneven, natural coloration. Under UV light, modern materials may fluoresce, while real fossils generally don’t .
Plastics and resins used in fakes often have overly uniform colors, and plastic castings might have bubbles or faint seams from molds. Real fossils, on the other hand, will show authentic micro‑details, like serrations on shark teeth or growth lines on shells. You can usually use a simple magnifying glass to check for imperfections and natural patterns.
Lastly, age and provenance are huge factors in determining authenticity. Unless you’re actually sure of where a specimen came from (e.g., a personal find or a family heirloom), you should insist on some kind of documentation to lend credibility to its authenticity. Information documenting where the fossil was found, especially something like a specific excavation site, is vital.
Even if a fossil is otherwise confirmable as authentic, there’s a nonzero chance that it could have been stolen or illegally obtained, which carries its own risks. If you have a specimen in your possession that was previously identified or documented, you could wind up in serious trouble.
Sellers who can provide scientific details are a safer bet.
For high‑value specimens (like megalodon teeth or dinosaur bone), labs offer tests like radiometric dating, microscopic analysis, and UV inspection. Museums and universities sometimes aid with identification or provenance and help provide certificates of authenticity.
Featured Authentic Fossils from The Space Store
Here are three hand‑selected fossils you can find on The Space Store, each with certificates or display assurance. These are some great additions for your collection:
Ankylosaurus Dermal Armor - Scute Fragment
Covered in rows of bony plates and wielding a powerful clubbed tail, the Ankylosaurs are one of the most distinctive and successful of all dinosaur families.
This specimen is a fragment of an Ankylosaurus dermal plate from the Hell Creek formation in South Dakota, recovered by paleontologists working on private land.
The fossil comes inside a classic, glass-topped riker display case and includes a certificate of authenticity.
A spiral cephalopod from 251 to 390 million years ago, encased in acrylic. These cephalopods lived in shallow seas in tropical to sub-tropical climates. Their spiraled shell had internal compartments which would have been filled with gas to provide buoyancy.
This is a mineralized shell with authentic provenance.
Elosuchus is a genus of prehistoric crocodyliform that lived during the Cretaceous period. While not much is known about its full appearance or lifestyle, we can be reasonably sure that Elosuchus was a carnivorous predator based on similarities to modern specimens.
If you’re looking to own a verified piece of Earth’s history, The Space Store’s featured specimens are excellent places to start. We make sure each piece has traceable provenance, display readiness, and all the tactile authenticity you could ask for.
- Written by Matt Herr