A super nice ammo found by 18 year old son

[RonB]

I was lucky enough to be invited to a super nice and private fossil hunting site in South Dakota. when we got there, I was lucky enough to find some nice smaller ammonites, but my youngest son found some really really nice Sphenodiscus ammonites. This is the 3rd best one he found. I cant wait to start prepping it this winter and make it look like FIRE!!! I just moved to Montana 18 months ago but realized before we moved here that I would start hunting for ammos. Its super amazing to me that we have done this well in such a short time!!! But then again, all I do is dream fossils. Im always on the lookout for a new sites! Plus I will drive where ever I have to to find really nice display pieces!!! Seems like there is no end to this hobby. Enjoy

 

[cuttlegirl]

That is a big ammonite. You are lucky to live in a place where you can drive to fossil sites. I have found other kinds of fossils (gastropods, bivalves, whale bones) but never a cephalopod - I have to buy mine...

 

[Architeuthoceras]

That is a wonderful ammonite! One like that makes it all worth while.

 

[DWhatley]

Be sure to post it all polished! If that red/pink comes up like I would think, it will be wonderful even for those of us who know nothing about fossils!

 

[RonB]

Dont dispare cuttlegirl. I too have bought fossils, but finding them is were the real fun is at. For me anyways.

And Dwhatley, i will be sure to post a photo of this once its all polished up. thanks for the interest.
I will post more photos of some other cool fossils when i find the time.

 

[neuropteris]

Fantastic ammonite! Is the red colouration common in those nodules? I ask because occasionally we find a mother of pearl effect on the yorkshire coast ammonites from over here but most do not show it. Looking forward to seeing it finished!

 

[RonB]

Hey neuropteris, thats a tuff name to type. Just call me ron. I do know some folks in England that hunt the yorkshire coast, but Ive never heard of pearl effect on ammos there. By any chance do you have any photos of yours? I would love to see them.
Besides all that, I just unwrapped an ammo that my son found from this last trip we went on and didnt even know he found it?!!! We were all busy finding and wrapping fossils up, but my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw this ammo!!! Just amazing!! and belive me, we dont find these kinds of things every day! Most trips are just campiing out, digging in the dirt and hope for the best. Sometimes we come home after hundreds and hundreds of miles and bring nothing home!!! This trip just happened to be one of those super good fossil trips. I will also have to show you guys some of our fossil fishes from last year. That was also our best fossil fish trips ever!! Im going to have to start selling some of this stuff someday. Just too much stuff to keep!!! Ron

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Another beauty! you did have a good trip

Have you got ID's for these?

 

[RonB]

Yes Indeed Architeuthoceras. That first one is Sphenodiscus and the last one is Jeletskytes nebraskensis, a huge female nebraskensis at that!!!

 

[neuropteris]

And just call me Andy Ron (a lot easier to spell). Unfortunately I don't have a yorkshire coast one with the nacreous effect - I did but I swapped it years ago, not realising I'd got a bit of a rarity. Never found one since. They are nowhere near as spectacular as the ones you've got, just patches of colour on the body chamber

Andy

 

[RonB]

Thats ok Andy. but is there a way to put on several photos at once for one posting? I have series of photos showing how a fossil looks when its found, then all the steps of prepping to the end and ow nice it looks once all the work is done. I would love to show you folks some prepping steps of how I actualy do this. Some are quite nice! I just dont know how to put on 5 or 6 photos at one time?

 

[cuttlegirl]

You can put four photos at a time under attach files, and then "manage attachments" button.

 

[DWhatley]

Would you comment a little on each of the "steps" as far as how you identify what to "clean out" and what remains and then how you go about it and what you do when you "oops". Also please describe the polishing process.

 

[RonB]

I finally got this one almost done!!!

Ok folks. It took me quite awhile, but I did a bunch of prep work on the big ammo that is pictured at the beginning of this thread. Its ashame that you cant see all the colors in this thing. If you turn it slightly, all the beautiful shiny reds turns into beautiful shiny greens!!! There is also some pinks and purples on the edge that also turns into streaks of greens too!! Just freakin AWESOME!!! I am quite pleased with this one. Enjoy.

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Looking good Ron!