Each of these small but lovely stones weighs between 10 and 30 grams, approximately. Some may be slightly smaller or larger.

Crinoids, or Sea Lilies, are actually marine animals belonging to the phylum Echinodermata and the class Crinoidea. They are related to starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. These ancient animals first appeared in the seas of the mid Cambrian, about 300 million years before dinosaurs. They flourished in the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic eras and a few species are still around today!

By far the most common crinoid fossils are the stem pieces. These fossils can be found all over the midwestern US!