Specimen #816

Name: Agatized Coral

Type: Mineral

Locality: Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

Favorite? N

Fluorescent? N

Size: 9.7 x 6.3 x 5.4 cm

Weight: 166

Acquired: 2008-09-29

Source: Trinity: Andrei Rykoff

Label: Y

Comment: Florida does not yet recognize a state fossil, but its state stone, agatized coral, is actually a fossil. Agatized coral can be any of many species of corals which have been replaced by agate, a variety of quartz chalcedony. It takes a very long time to form, and most of the agatized coral found today in the state lived in the vast Eocene seas which covered the state 35-40 million years ago, when Florida was part of the continental shelf.

This specimen consists of a piece of fossilized coral that has been sawn in half exposing the druzy coating of agate that is replacing the coral. Both halves of this specimen have had their edges polished. Please note: the total dimensions of this specimen were measured with both halves together.

Minerals: Agate - banded variety of chaledony

There are 2 pictures on file

M00816-01.jpg:

Agatized Coral, Tampa Bay, Florida - 9.7 x 6.3 x 5.4 mm

M00816-02.jpg:

Agatized Coral, Tampa Bay, Florida