Fossilized Natural Cast of Chesapecten jeffersonius

A perfect example of a natural cast of Chesapecten jeffersonius, a scallop that lived during the Pliocene epoch between four and five million years ago on Virginia’s coastal plain. This particular specimen exposes the actual scallop organism while its shell deteriorated. In 1687, Martin Lister published a drawing of Chesapecten jeffersonius making it the first North American fossil to be illustrated in scientific literature. In 1993 the state of Virginia made it the official state fossil. Size measures 6 inches by 6 inches. Location: King George, VA.