Fossilized Pearl

by Joe Johnson
(Nokomis, Florida)

Greetings earthlings! My name is Joe and I'm from, no shirt, no shoes, Nokomis Florida.


I am an avid fossil hunter and often find very large clam shells with blister pearls attached to them. I have also found small fossilized pearls in the loose shell than adorns my driveway. They resemble a nascent pearl in every way except for the outer shell, it has always been hazy and less polished in appearance.

I will look through my extensive fossil collection and try to find the one or two that I may have kept. Unfortunately, uncertainty caused me to leave the majority of them where I found them.

I was always suspicious, but never was able to convince mice elf until I found your site.

Thanks for the affirmation, Kari. And keep up the good work!

Paradise stricken,
Joseph Johnson

P.S. I apologize for the lack of photographic evidence. I'm working on it!

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Sep 17, 2023
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Fossilize pearl
by: Anonymous

I have found an old shell of giant clam.
It looks like a fossilize pearl.
Its about 1.2kg.
It reacts with venegar, it even glow to some sort of light.
It is orange yellow in color.
I just want to know if it has any value?

Jun 16, 2022
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Md
by: Anonymous

I have a pet petrified Oster shell beautiful never been opened. Does anyone know how much it's worth

May 17, 2022
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Send photos here
by: Kari

Hello,

Nice to hear about your fossilized pearl. You can send photos here: Karipearls at gmail dot com

Looking forward to seeing it.
Kari

May 13, 2022
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Authenticated fossil pearl
by: Laura Ebertshaeuser

Hi Kari I’m not sure how to post a photo ..I have a rather large fossil pearl authenticated by a professor at a university ..I was told it is over 2 million years old .. I would like to sell it and am wondering if I can get an evaluation ? It is very similar to a pearl you show on your website ..I appreciate any attention you can give to the matter

Mar 29, 2022
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Fossil pearl from Qatar
by: Mahmoud

I want to sell my fossilized pearl collection discovered in Qatar

Oct 27, 2021
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I have a very large fossil pearl
by: Laura Ebertshaeuser

Hello I have a large fossil pearl that has already been examined by a professor of natural history I would like to sell it and can send photos

Sep 28, 2020
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Pearl for sale
by: Anonymous

Want to sale my petrified pearl..it's attached to she'll.pearl is oblong and bout 3/4 in diameter

Jan 24, 2018
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Have it x-rayed?
by: Kari

Hi, That sounds fascinating. Maybe a kind dentist would x-ray it for you? Just an idea so you don't have to ruin it.

Let me know if that works.

I've had dentist friends x-ray pearls that I suspected had a bead inside and were cultured and not natural.

Instead of spending lots of cash on GIA reports a simple dental x-ray did indeed show a bead inside proving the pearl to be cultured.

Cheers and thanks for sharing!
Kari

Jan 13, 2018
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fossil clam/oyster/shelfish of some description
by: Justin

Hi how are you, just looking into fossil clams and oysters and wondering what i should do with it.

I found, about 20 years ago, in the outback of Sth Australia where once upon a time the ocean covered the area, deep underground in a riverbed we were crossing during a pipeline construction, a round clay boulder that drew my curiosity.
After smashing the clay with a mash hammer, my curiosity was rewarded with what i think is a probably a fossilised clam, and have kept it since.

It is in near perfect condition although some of the shell came away with the last bits of clay.

I'm curious to know if there is a pearl inside!! Obviously I don't want to just keep smashing it with a hammer to open it, my question is, is there a way to determine the contents of the inside such as xray, or if i should laser cut it?
If there is nothing inside it well that would be a shame to destroy it aye, but wouldn't it be nice of there was a nice surprise in there!!


Thanks in advance,
Warm regards,
Justing

Feb 16, 2011
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Congratulations.
by: Anonymous

Hi Joe Congratulations.

I also did not believed in fossil pearls, even today very few people believe...

I Invite you to see :

http://fossil.pearl.4t.com/ingles.html

Nov 01, 2010
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Thoughts
by: Kari

Hi Joe,

A fellow from Texas called me last week and told me about loose fossil pearls he has found. I have not seen any photos yet. I've seen photos of fossil pearls that do still look very much like lustrous pearls, while the one in Vienna has lost all of its lustrous beauty. The nacreous deposits could well be blister pearls and it would be interesting to see what's inside. I have found fossilized oyster shells on the Thames foreshore in London. See:
https://www.karipearls.com/oyster-photos.html I was told if they shells are flat they were wild and if they were irregular and bumpy, they were raised crammed together.

Nov 01, 2010
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Forgive my ignorance, but...
by: Anonymous

Hey Kari,
I saw the article and found it quite interesting. I am amazed by the texture these "pearls" possess. I have some coprolite pieces that are smoother and more uniform in shape and color.

The large blister pearls I have found and the small loose pearls somehow managed to retain their identity. By that I mean, they looked like a pearl, a very old, dingy pearl. Of course the BP's were in situ and they still had characteristics consistant with nacre buildup.

I knew next to nothing about pearls before visiting your site, but I am now convinced of what I found.

I went through the smaller items in my collection and was unable to locate the small pea-sized pearls I found in the driveway.

I found the large blister pearls in the shell pits I frequent during the rainy season. The rain is necessary to "uncover" the hidden treasures.

The thing is, the BP's I found were in tact and still attached to the inside of the clam. These are very large clams, mind you. Should I look for them to be loose as well?

Needless to say, the next time I "visit" the pit, I will keep my eyes peeled for BP's. I come across hundreds of such clam shells each month during my fossil hunts.

One more question, we also have rather large fossilized oyster shells here. I have found marble sized nacre deposits where the adductor muscle attached to the shell. Are these possibly blister pearls? Is there a pearl under the initial nacre layers?

Again, thanks for taking the time,
Joseph

Nov 01, 2010
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Looking forward to photos
by: Kari

Hello Joe,

Looking forward to some photos. Fossilized pearls are often overlooked or not recognized. Did you happen to see this post about what perhaps is the largest fossilized pearl on record which is displayed in Vienna?

Large Fossil Pearl from Austria

Thanks for posting.

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