Petrified Wood Value Guide

Petrified wood from the Triassic Period is a remarkable fossilized treasure formed over 200 million years ago when organic plant matter was replaced by minerals like silica and quartz. These specimens are highly collectible for their ability to preserve intricate cellular structures and growth rings in a permanent stone form.

What affects the value of Petrified Wood?

• The clarity and preservation of the original wood grain and cellular detail significantly impact the price.
• The presence of vibrant colors from jasper and quartz inclusions typically increases the specimen's market value.
• Size and weight of the piece, with larger, intact log sections commanding higher prices within the $30-$50 range.
• The quality of the polish or natural state, as well as the geographical origin within the United States.

How to Identify Petrified Wood?

• Examine the surface for distinct, visible growth rings and wood grain patterns preserved in stone.
• Check for a heavy, dense feel characteristic of mineralization by silica, jasper, or quartz rather than organic wood.
• Look for a variety of colors resulting from trace elements like iron or manganese within the crystalline structure.
• Verify the presence of a smooth, often glassy luster on polished faces where minerals have completely replaced the wood fibers.

History of Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is a type of fossil that occurs when plant material is buried by sediment and protected from decay by oxygen and organisms. Mineral-rich groundwater flows through the sediment, replacing the original plant material with silica, calcite, pyrite, or other inorganic materials such as opal. The process can preserve the structure of the wood in exquisite detail, even down to the cellular level. The result is a fossil that retains the original shape of the wood, but is now composed of stone. This process can take millions of years.