Feb 202012
Found this just off shore when I was 14 (1995). Have always assumed (hoped) it was a fossil, maybe of a seed but just thought it was really neat. Assume the "lines" are from ocean creatures, and aside from some "chips" the symmetry is perfect.
Fossil Collector: JustinM
Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Your thinking is correct, Justin. Myrtle Beach is a great place to look for fossils and this is most definitely one of them. What you found is the cast fossil of a clam. The clam shell supplied the “mold” and sediments within hardened to become the “cast.” These often remain after the fossil shell erodes away.
Those are very cool fossils. You lucky dog you!!!!
Cool, Thanks! I know it’s a VERY broad question, but any idea on just how old a clam fossil from that area could be?
Great site guys!
That is a much trickier question. When you find beach fossils, you are usually not sure what specific geologic formation they eroded from. With that in mind, it is hard to pinpoint beyond a wide margin of say 20 – 50 million years. Perhaps a South Carolina fossil collector will recognize the look of your fossil better and be able to narrow that down for us. South Carolina fossil collectors, feel free to jump in here.