The fascinating world of coprolites, collecting fossilized poop

Hello, my name is George Franzen and I have the largest collection of coprolites. What is coprolite

Fossilized poop. This coprolite right here is named Precious. This is the largest true-to-form coprolite ever

discovered. Why I say true-to-form is because it still carries the original form from when it was made 20 million years ago

The maker made it, it had a soft landing in the muck and murk of some swamp

And became fossilized. Very few even get close to this size. That's why it's named Precious

This collection started when I was 18 in college. I was told to make a fossil collection for a paleontology class

I was taking. I came across to a coprolite and I thought it was the neatest thing in the whole world

And since then I've collected a little bit more and a little bit more a little bit more

18 years later when my house started becoming filled with fossilized feces, I thought

this might be something more than just a big collection. This might be the world's largest collection of coprolite

What got me interested in finding and collecting coprolites is the story they tell of prehistoric life and

ecosystems. No other fossils can tell you so much as coprolites can. Inside these coprolites

you can find inclusions which are bits and pieces of plants and animals and bones and scales

Sometimes teeth. Their shape can tell you about the animal that made it

Coprolites can be found all over the place. On beaches, in deserts, in mountains

even in rivers. In the southeast United States many of the coprolites are found in deep, dark

murky rivers filled with fish and alligators and other scary stuff. That can kill you. Kids love seeing the coprolites

The big question they always have is are they soft? Do they smell

Coprolites are hard as a rock. They've been mineralized and they don't smell

Coprolites can range in value from a few dollars to many thousands of dollars

Just a couple years ago a coprolite was sold at auction for

$10,000 in California. What makes a coprolite expensive or valuable is size

distinct impressions, ripples, the classic poo look. Anyone looking to beat a Guinness World Records title needs to have passion

Lots of passion for whatever they're doing. Minus coprolites, fossilized feces, couldn't be better. Whatever your passion is you should follow it