1)Quality: When evaluating a piece, the first thing to be addressed is the quality. Is your specimen solid and rock-like, with minimal fracturing? or is it porous, fractured and crumbling? A solid piece tells us that this wood will cut and polish without falling to pieces. Some fossil wood from Arizona can contain fractures, and these have become acceptable due to the compact nature of the material and of coarse their bright colors.

2) Perfection:
Is the wood complete all around , or are there missing outer sections that intrude into the interior? Missing exterior "bark" or the outer rind of a limb or log can be considered damage. This becomes an even larger issue when you are cutting a log into slabs. The incomplete sections would more than likely have to be removed before the complete areas are slabbed. For the cutter, this not only means more work, but also a lot more waste.

3) Interior pattern:
Strong interior pattern and definition is of great importance when valuing fossil woods not only for sheer beauty and aesthetics, but also for thier scientific importance as well. Is there a strong "heart" in the center with concentric rings radiating outward? Or does your specimen have an abstract pattern with little or no structural definition? Well defined cell structure, knots, worm borings, rays, multiple hearts, all add value and interest to your fossil wood specimen. These features can more easily be identified by cutting an end. Some experts can recognize strong pattern on a rough fossil wood at a glance.

4) Interior color: Color can be a subjective issue when dealing with fossil wood, as many worldwide localities produce only earth-tones while others such as Arizona and Utah produce vibrant colors such as reds, yellows blues etc.. However, many rare and desirable species such as Cycads and Ferns are found mainly in earth tones and yet they can be more valuable than the brightest Arizona rainbow wood. Also, color can be of little importance when evaluating material from certain Washington and Oregon localities as here, earth tones prevail.

5) Size/ weight: This is how "rough" fossil wood is bought and sold. It can range in price from .10 cents a pound to $4.00 or more a pound.

6) Unusual features: This can be a branch extension, worm tracks, Knot holes, a double heart, an interior knot, mineral inclusions or even extremely vibrant and strong cell structure.