Agatized Coral Fossils

Fossil Agatized Coral is Florida's state stone. The species of coral for the state stone is Montastrea. However, many types of coral species make-up this colorful coral.

They are found in ancient ocean beds, where silica rich groundwater has percolated through them and over time has replaced it's calcium carbonate skeleton with a hard variety of Chalcedony. This leaves the ornamental fossil with a sometimes banded stone look.

It is about 25 million years old and from the Lower Miocene period. These fossils are found in a variety of colors- white, gray, brown, black, yellow and red. Different trace minerals in the agate create these colors.