The Dig Log
All 110 articles from Realfossils, newest first. Search, filter by topic, or sort to find the one you need.
Woolly Rhino Teeth: Enamel Folds, Wear, Pleistocene Context and Buying
Deep collector guide to woolly rhinoceros teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Woolly Rhino Teeth: Enamel Folds, Wear, Pleistocene Context and Buying
Deep collector guide to woolly rhinoceros teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
White River Fossils: Oligocene Mammals, Teeth, Bone and Collector Context
Deep collector guide to White River fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
What Did Woolly Mammoths Look Like Alive? Fur, Tusks, Habitat and Fossil Evidence
Evidence-first collector guide to woolly mammoth reconstruction: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
What Did T. rex Look Like Alive? Evidence, Uncertainty and a Realistic Reconstruction
Evidence-first collector guide to T. rex reconstruction: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Walliserops Trilobites: Trident Spines, Restoration and Authenticity Research
Deep collector guide to Walliserops trilobites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Using UV Light on Fossils: Glue, Filler, Coatings and False Positives
Deep collector guide to UV inspection of fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Real vs Fake Trilobites: Restoration, Composite Specimens and Preparation Clues
Evidence-first collector guide to trilobites: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Triceratops Teeth: Dental Batteries, Wear Surfaces and Fossil Buyer Guide
Deep collector guide to Triceratops teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Triceratops Horn Fossils: Real Horn Core, Restoration and Bone Texture
Deep collector guide to Triceratops horn fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
T. rex Tooth Fossils: Authentication, Serrations, Repair and Provenance
Evidence-first collector guide to Tyrannosaurus rex teeth: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Spinosaurus Teeth: Real Fossils, Repairs, Moroccan Locality and Buyer Checks
Evidence-first collector guide to Spinosaurus teeth: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Tiger Shark Teeth: Notches, Serrations, Species Labels and Buying
Deep collector guide to fossil tiger shark teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Stromatolites: Layered Structures, Claims of Ancient Life and Collector Caution
Deep collector guide to stromatolites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Fossil Stingray Dental Plates: Crushing Teeth, Fragments and Identification
Deep collector guide to stingray dental plates: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Solnhofen Fossils: Fish, Crustaceans, Plants, Replicas and Fine-Limestone Preservation
Deep collector guide to Solnhofen fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Shipping Fragile Fossils: Slabs, Teeth, Spines, Matrix and Insurance
Evidence-first collector guide to shipping fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
How to Photograph Fossils for Identification, Insurance or Sale
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil photography: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Repaired, Restored and Composite Fossils: A Plain-English Collector Guide
Evidence-first collector guide to restored fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Real Fossil vs Cast vs Replica: How to Tell What You Are Actually Buying
Evidence-first collector guide to real fossils and casts: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Natural vs Polished Petrified Wood: Grain, Mineralization, Cutting and Value
Evidence-first collector guide to petrified wood: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Orthoceras and Straight-Cephalopod Fossils: Real Specimens, Polished Décor and Mislabeling
Evidence-first collector guide to straight cephalopod fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Mosasaur Teeth and Life Reconstruction: What the Fossils Actually Tell Us
Evidence-first collector guide to mosasaurs: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Real Mosasaur Teeth: Matrix, Repairs, Composite Jaws and Buying Guide
Evidence-first collector guide to mosasaur teeth: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Moroccan Fossils: Trilobites, Ammonites, Mosasaurs, Restoration and Buyer Research
Evidence-first collector guide to Moroccan fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Real Megalodon Teeth: Authenticity, Repairs, Roots, Serrations and Buying Guide
Evidence-first collector guide to megalodon teeth: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Megalodon vs Great White Fossil Teeth: Shape, Serrations, Roots and Common Mix-Ups
Evidence-first collector guide to megalodon and great white teeth: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Mammoth Molar Fossils: Identification, Wear Plates, Restoration and Buying
Evidence-first collector guide to mammoth molars: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Mako Shark Teeth: Smooth Edges, Roots, Species Claims and Value
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil mako shark teeth: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Buying and Collecting Fossils Legally in the U.S.: Land, Vertebrates and Provenance
Evidence-first collector guide to U.S. fossil legality: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Kem Kem Fossils: Spinosaurid Teeth, Crocodilians, Fish and Attribution Limits
Evidence-first collector guide to Kem Kem fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Green River Formation Fossils: Fish, Leaves, Insects, Preparation and Provenance
Evidence-first collector guide to Green River Formation fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Pyritized Ammonites: Metallic Fossils, Pyrite Decay and Storage
Deep collector guide to pyritized ammonites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Pyrite Decay in Fossils: Warning Signs, Humidity and Storage Strategy
Deep collector guide to pyrite decay: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Fossil Gifts 2026: Real Specimens and Display Gear
A fossil gift guide built on real, legally traded specimens: shark teeth, trilobites, ammonites, Green River fish, amber, plus display gear, loupes and books.
Plesiosaur Teeth: Conical Crowns, Striations, Locality and Buyer Checks
Deep collector guide to plesiosaur teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Peace River Florida Fossils: Shark Teeth, Mammal Material and Collector Research
Deep collector guide to Peace River fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Otodus obliquus Teeth: Cusplets, Roots, Locality and Buying Guide
Deep collector guide to Otodus obliquus teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Mosasaur Jaws: Real Teeth, Reconstructed Matrix and Composite Display Pieces
Deep collector guide to mosasaur jaw displays: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Morrison Formation Fossils: Jurassic Dinosaurs, Bone, Teeth and Provenance
Deep collector guide to Morrison Formation fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Microscopes for Fossil Identification: Serrations, Pores, Shell Texture and Repairs
Deep collector guide to microscope fossil inspection: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Mazon Creek Fossils: Concretions, Ferns, Animals and Collector Research
Deep collector guide to Mazon Creek fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Mammoth vs Mastodon Teeth: Lamellae, Cusps and Easy Identification Clues
Deep collector guide to mammoth and mastodon teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Madagascar Polished Ammonites: Cut Pairs, Sutures, Color and Restoration
Deep collector guide to Madagascar polished ammonites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Knightia vs Diplomystus: How to Tell Common Green River Fossil Fish Apart
Deep collector guide to Knightia and Diplomystus fossil fish: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Ichthyosaur Vertebrae: Disk-Shaped Centra, Locality and Authenticity
Deep collector guide to ichthyosaur vertebrae: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
How Much Is My Fossil Worth? A Collector Value Framework That Actually Works
Deep collector guide to fossil value estimates: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Photographing Trace Fossils
Lighting and scale for tracks, trails, burrows, and borings.
Part and Counterpart Fossils
Use listings to compare morphology, matrix, preparation, locality claims, dimensions, repairs, and seller disclosure. Similar appearance alone does not establish identity or legality.
Starting a Microfossil Collection
Foraminifera, ostracods, conodonts, pollen, and careful labeling.
Using UV Light on Fossils
Use listings to compare morphology, matrix, preparation, locality claims, dimensions, repairs, and seller disclosure. Similar appearance alone does not establish identity or legality.
Fossil Thin Sections
Use listings to compare morphology, matrix, preparation, locality claims, dimensions, repairs, and seller disclosure. Similar appearance alone does not establish identity or legality.
Reading Fossil Export Documents
A collector checklist for invoices, permits, and customs records.
Fossil Consolidants and Adhesives
Use listings to compare morphology, matrix, preparation, locality claims, dimensions, repairs, and seller disclosure. Similar appearance alone does not establish identity or legality.
Donating Fossils to a Museum
How to prepare records and approach an appropriate institution.
Insuring a Fossil Collection
Inventories, photographs, values, storage, and policy questions.
Acid-Prepared Fossils
Benefits, risks, residues, and disclosure for acid preparation.
Why Fossil Locality Matters More Than Color
Color can vary within one deposit and repeat across unrelated rocks; locality links anatomy to geologic context. Practical advice for fossil collectors.
When Not to Clean a Fossil
Dirt, matrix, coatings, and old repairs may contain evidence that aggressive cleaning destroys. Practical advice for fossil collectors.
Real, Replica, Restored, Composite: Listing Words That Matter
Marketplace language often mixes natural material, casts, repairs, restoration, and decorative assembly. Practical advice for fossil collectors.
The Old Label Is Part of the Fossil
Handwritten labels, dealer cards, museum exchanges, and field numbers can preserve irreplaceable history. Practical advice for fossil collectors.
Building Your First Fossil Collection
Start with well-documented common fossils rather than dramatic specimens with weak provenance. Practical advice for fossil collectors.
Ten Questions Before Buying a Fossil Online
A disciplined question list can expose missing dimensions, repairs, vague locality, and legal uncertainty. Practical advice for fossil collectors.
Green River Fossil Fish: Species, Preparation, Paint, Repairs and Buying Guide
Evidence-first collector guide to Green River fossil fish: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Provenance: Why Old Labels, Locality Data and Collection History Matter
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil provenance: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Preparation: Air Scribes, Abrasives, Acids, Consolidants and What They Change
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil preparation: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Matrix vs Free-Standing Fossils: What You Gain and Lose When Rock Is Removed
Evidence-first collector guide to fossils in matrix: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
How Much Does Locality Data Matter to a Fossil? Scientific and Collector Value Explained
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil locality data: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Leaves and Ferns: Venation, Carbon Films, Impressions and Fake Paint
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil leaves and ferns: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Bone vs Rock: Texture, Pores, Breaks and Why the Tongue Test Is a Bad Idea
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil bone identification: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Glue, Filler and Paint on Fossils: How Repairs Hide in Plain Sight
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil repairs: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Seller Red Flags: What Weak Listings Avoid Telling You
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil seller red flags: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Fossil Coral: Colonial Patterns, Polishing, Agatization and Buyer Research
Evidence-first collector guide to fossil coral: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
How to Use eBay Sold Listings for Fossil Values Without Fooling Yourself
Evidence-first collector guide to eBay fossil sold prices: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Dinosaur Footprint Fossils: Real Tracks, Casts, Slabs and Provenance
Evidence-first collector guide to dinosaur track fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Dinosaur Egg Fossils: Shell Texture, Matrix, Reconstruction and Fake-Egg Red Flags
Evidence-first collector guide to dinosaur eggs: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Crinoid Fossils: Stems, Calyces, Plates and Complete Specimens
Evidence-first collector guide to crinoid fossils: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Coprolites: How Fossilized Dung Is Identified, Misidentified and Sold
Evidence-first collector guide to coprolites: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Buying Fossils Online: A 20-Point Checklist Before You Pay
Evidence-first collector guide to online fossil purchases: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Brachiopod Fossils: Shell Symmetry, Genera, Matrix and Collector Value
Evidence-first collector guide to brachiopods: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Natural vs Polished Ammonites: What Preparation Changes and How to Compare Value
Evidence-first collector guide to ammonites: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Amber Inclusions: Real Amber, Copal, Fakes and Suspicious Insects
Evidence-first collector guide to amber inclusions: identification, authenticity, preparation, provenance, value research and marketplace comparisons.
Holzmaden Fossils: Ichthyosaurs, Ammonites, Pyrite and Slate Preparation
Deep collector guide to Holzmaden fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Heteromorph Ammonites: Uncoiled Shapes, Fragility and Collector Research
Deep collector guide to heteromorph ammonites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Hemipristis serra Teeth: Serrations, Shape, Jaw Position and Collector Research
Deep collector guide to Hemipristis serra teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Hell Creek Fossils: T. rex, Triceratops, Teeth, Bone and Provenance
Deep collector guide to Hell Creek Formation fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Hadrosaur Teeth: Dental Batteries, Wear and Identification Limits
Deep collector guide to hadrosaur teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Which Fossils Are Worth Money? What Actually Creates Collector Demand
Deep collector guide to valuable fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Fossil Sea Urchins and Echinoids: Tests, Spines, Symmetry and Value
Deep collector guide to fossil echinoids: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Insuring a Fossil Collection: Inventory, Photos, Value Evidence and Appraisal
Deep collector guide to fossil collection insurance: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Fossil Gastropods vs Bivalves: Shell Form, Molds and Collector Identification
Deep collector guide to fossil mollusks: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Painted Fossil Fish: Enhancement, Bone Contrast and How to Spot Overpainting
Deep collector guide to enhanced fossil fish: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Displaying Fossils Safely: UV, Humidity, Mounts, Weight and Labels
Deep collector guide to fossil display and storage: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Fossil Consolidants: Paraloid, Glues, Reversibility and Collector Documentation
Deep collector guide to fossil consolidants: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
How to Catalog a Fossil Collection: IDs, Photos, Localities, Labels and Provenance
Deep collector guide to fossil collection cataloging: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Fossil Certificates of Authenticity: What a COA Proves—and What It Does Not
Deep collector guide to fossil certificates of authenticity: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Eurypterid Fossils: Sea Scorpions, Exoskeletons and Buyer Research
Deep collector guide to eurypterid fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Enrolled Trilobites: Natural Defensive Posture, Preparation and Fake Curling
Deep collector guide to enrolled trilobites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Drotops Trilobites: Moroccan Preparation, Eyes, Spines and Restoration Clues
Deep collector guide to Drotops trilobites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Raptor Teeth: Dromaeosaur Identification, Serrations and Seller Claims
Deep collector guide to dromaeosaur teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Dinosaur Vertebrae: Centrum, Processes, Restoration and Identification
Deep collector guide to dinosaur vertebrae: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Dinosaur Eggshell Fragments: Pore Texture, Curvature, Fakes and Provenance
Deep collector guide to dinosaur eggshell fragments: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Dicranurus Trilobites: Horns, Spines, Preparation and Restoration
Deep collector guide to Dicranurus trilobites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Cave Bear Teeth: Tooth Type, European Locality and Collector Research
Deep collector guide to cave bear teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Carcharodontosaurus Teeth: Serrations, Repair, Morocco and Attribution Limits
Deep collector guide to Carcharodontosaurus teeth: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Calvert Cliffs Fossils: Shark Teeth, Miocene Marine Life and Beach Finds
Deep collector guide to Calvert Cliffs fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Belemnite Fossils: Guards, Internal Molds and Collector Identification
Deep collector guide to belemnites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Aurora / Lee Creek Fossils: Shark Teeth, Marine Mammals and Provenance
Deep collector guide to Aurora and Lee Creek fossils: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Asaphus Trilobites from Russia: Stalked Eyes, Locality and Collector Value
Deep collector guide to Asaphus trilobites: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Are Fossils a Good Investment? Liquidity, Provenance, Restoration and Market Reality
Deep collector guide to fossils as investments: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.
Ammolite vs Ammonite: Gem Material, Fossil Shell and Marketplace Confusion
Deep collector guide to ammolite and ammonite: anatomy, locality, authenticity, restoration, provenance and marketplace comparison.