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Fossil Pearl Found in Iowa

by Shellane
(Humboldt, Iowa USA)

Fossil Pearl fround September 2008

Fossil Pearl fround September 2008

The last week in September 2008. My 8 year old niece, I call her Sweet Pea, and I were fossil hunting the rock cliffs along the West Des Moines River in Humboldt, Iowa. We found a large snail fossil about 12 foot up the side of the cliff. We climbed the cliff to slowly remove the fossil from the solid wall of lime rock. My niece noticed a crack in the wall near the snail fossil. She saw something shinny in the crack. I climbed down and found a stick for her to poke in the crack. She did and out of the crack came this beautiful gem. It appears off white but when placed near other objects it takes on a lightly blue tint. Not sure if it is worth much, is a little over a half an inch in diameter and the most beautiful thing we have found on our adventures so far. If you have some insight I would be happy to read you.

Thank you, Shellane and Sweet Pea

P.S. Our snail fossil find meassures 4 inches in length and 3 inches in width.

Blue Iowa Pearl Found when Fossil Hunting


Shellane has added this new photo and started a new page about her pearl.
See her new page here.

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Fossil Pearl Found in Iowa

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Nov 09, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		selling
by: Shellane

Currently I have it in a safe deposit box. Would be interested in selling it but am not really sure of it's value? Thank you Shellane
Nov 07, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Is the Pearl for Sale?
by: Mark

A very interesting piece. I am a Geologist and am wondering the age of the fossil. I am guessing it must be a Cretaceous pearl. The oldest ones are apparently Jurassic in age. Is the specimen for sale?
Jan 01, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Second page for this pearl
by: Kari

See another page and more comments about Shellane's pearl here.

http://www.karipearls.com/pearl-found-while-fossil-hunting-in-iowa.html
Jan 01, 2009
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Congratulations
by: Bruno

Hello:
Very nice piece.
I invite you to enjoy :
http://fossil.pearl.4t.com/ingles.html
Where I show several pieces of fossil pearls.
For several years I have been promoting these gems, very few people are interested because that intimidates them or the people tend to believe that they are forgeries.
I hope that you will have better luck.
Dec 30, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Pearl found in Iowa
by: Shellane

Gosh i have been trying to sign back on this site but have had some trouble. Can not seem to post another photo yet i shall try more. LOL
The Pearl that i found is not a fossil, but solid pearl. I found it in a small crack near cliffs when hunting for fossils.
Thanks Shellane
Dec 03, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		NICE FIND!!!!
by: Anonymous

Hello dear, I am very excited about your finding. I live next to a place that was an ocean as well and I always find shark teeth embedded in the rocks as well as many fossilized sea shells. I have always wondering how fossilized pearl might look, and just find your pearl in the web. I would like to have another picture of it closer to the pearl. Thank you.
Nov 15, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Wish you were my aunt!
by: Kari

Hello Shellane,

Wow....I wish you were my aunt. I'd LOVE to go fossil hunting with you! Your pearl is lovely and like Mandy said, feel free to send closer up shots of it. You can send more photos to: karipearls(AT)gmail(DOT)com and I can add them to your page.

I've seen other photos of fossil pearls with brilliant luster. To do some further research on fossil pearls, I recommend this comprehensive internet search tool:
http://searchit.sitesell.com/Kari2.html"

Go to the bottom of the page and click on "Search It".

Being three hours east of Des Moines, Iowa myself, in Muscatine, Iowa makes this find especially interesting to me.

Keep hunting!
Kari
Nov 14, 2008
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Nifty!
by: Mandy

That's really cool! It's hard to tell much about it without a more close-up shot -- if you can get one, you should definitely send it to Kari. I, for one, am intrigued!

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