fossil

Fossiliferous shale or mudstone with plant fossils

Carbonaceous mudstone/shale containing fossilized foliage, likely fern or seed-fern impressions

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Fine-grained brown to dark-gray sedimentary matrix with pale fossil impressions or mineralized fragments; typically Mohs 2–3, dull to earthy luster, very fine clastic texture, and fissile layering. The fossils appear as flattened molds or replacements rather than crystals.

Identified September 13, 2026More fossil →

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At a glance

Common name: Fossiliferous shale or mudstone with plant fossils
Scientific name: Carbonaceous mudstone/shale containing fossilized foliage, likely fern or seed-fern impressions
Category: fossil
Identified: September 13, 2026
Method: Standard

AI Estimated Value

About $20–$150 for a common display specimen; $200–$1,000+ for exceptionally preserved, rare, or well-documented fossils.

Not an official valuation

AI estimate for general interest only — not an appraisal. Actual value depends on condition, provenance, and market demand. Verify with a professional before buying, selling, or insuring.

This identification was generated by AI and may contain errors. Verify important details before relying on them — and never use an AI result to judge whether a specimen is safe to handle. Read the full disclaimer

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed when organic-rich mud buried and compacted in a quiet swamp, lake, or floodplain during the Paleozoic or Mesozoic; exact age and species require the museum label or locality. Fossil leaves and stems were preserved by carbon films, impressions, or mineral replacement.

Uses & applications

Primarily used for education, museum display, and collecting; it has little industrial or jewelry value, although some fossil slabs are decorative.

Geological facts

The specimen preserves biological shapes in sediment rather than being a mineral crystal. Nearby display material appears to include a fern fossil slab, suggesting a plant-fossil exhibit.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by thin bedding, soft brown matrix, and repeated leaf or stem outlines with no glassy crystal faces; avoid acid and excessive moisture. Common occurrences include coal-bearing basins and lacustrine fossil beds worldwide.