What FossilEra does

FossilEra is a privately held, direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in authentic fossils, minerals, meteorites, and crystals. Founded in 2013 by Matt Heaton — a self-described lifelong fossil enthusiast, field collector, and preparator — the company is headquartered in Monroe, Washington, and self-identifies as the world's largest online retailer of real fossils, with cumulative shipments of 215,000+ orders to customers worldwide and 23,000+ five-star reviews on Ekomi. The company is founder-owned and bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional funding or external capital partners.

The business operates a single proprietary e-commerce storefront at fossilera.com, listing 500-1,000 new items weekly across categories including trilobites, ammonites, dinosaur teeth, megalodon teeth, petrified wood, meteorites (iron, Martian, lunar, pallasites, tektites), and a broad mineral/crystal catalog. Every specimen carries a lifetime authenticity guarantee and a 30-day return policy, addressing counterfeit concerns that pervade the collectibles market. A wholly owned subsidiary, FossilEra Adventures, operates the Fossil Lake Safari dig experience at the Green River Formation near Kemmerer, Wyoming (FossilSafari.com), offering tiered dig packages from $49 (2-hour child) to $750 (private dig for up to 10), functioning as an experiential brand extension.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time transactional sales at price points ranging from under $25 to over $10,000, with no subscription or recurring component. Distribution is exclusive — fossilera.com is the only sales channel, with no third-party marketplace presence. Customer acquisition relies on content marketing (educational articles, buying guides), customizable email alerts for new inventory, and organic social media (Facebook, Instagram). Customer segments are horizontal: serious collectors (primary), educational institutions, and gift buyers.

Name

FossilEra

Legal name

FossilEra

Website

https://fossilera.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FossilEra is a privately held, bootstrapped online retailer selling authentic fossils, minerals, meteorites, and crystals directly to collectors, educators, and gift buyers worldwide from Monroe, Washington, with an affiliated fossil-dig experience in Wyoming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Fossil and Mineral Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

akta.pro primary industry

Vintage & Antique Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cave, Geology & Volcanic Experiences (THAJAIAI)

Keywords

• Fossil retail
• Meteorite sales
• Mineral specimens
• Crystal collectibles
• Paleontology merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Bothell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Fossils, Minerals, Meteorites): One-time transaction sales of physical specimens including fossils, minerals, crystals, and meteorites. Revenue generated through direct e-commerce sales with no recurring subscription component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FossilEra sells authentic fossils, minerals and crystals, and meteorites through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at fossilera.com, backed by a lifetime authenticity guarantee on every specimen. The company also offers hands-on fossil digging experiences at the Green River Formation near Kemmerer, Wyoming, through its FossilEra Adventures subsidiary.

Product overview

FossilEra operates an e-commerce platform selling authentic fossils, minerals, crystals, and meteorites. The product portfolio centers on three core categories: Fossils (various prehistoric specimens including trilobites, ammonites, dinosaur fossils, shark teeth, and marine fossils), Minerals & Crystals (including amethyst, fluorite, agates, and polished stones), and Meteorites (iron meteorites, Martian, lunar, pallasites, and tektites). Accessory offerings include Floating Frame Display Cases for specimen display and Gift Certificates. The company also operates the Fossil Lake Safari experience in Wyoming, allowing customers to dig for their own fossils at the Green River Formation. The platform adds 500-1,000 new items weekly, with a lifetime authenticity guarantee on all specimens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fossils Authentic fossils for sale spanning trilobites, ammonites, dinosaur fossils, dinosaur teeth, dinosaur bones, shark teeth, megalodon teeth, fish fossils, mammal fossils, reptile fossils, pterosaur, mosasaur, amber, petrified wood, plant fossils, echinoderms, crinoids, coral fossils, and more, for collectors, educators, and gift buyers.
• Minerals & Crystals Wide selection of minerals and crystals including amethyst, fluorite, pyrite, agates, labradorite, jasper, malachite, geodes, quartz crystals, polished stones, worry stones, stone spheres, and pendants, aimed at collectors and gift buyers.
• Meteorites Authentic meteorites including iron meteorites, pallasites, Martian meteorites, lunar meteorites, chondrites, achondrites, mesosiderites, tektites, and impactites such as moldavite, for collectors and enthusiasts seeking space-originating specimens.
• Floating Frame Display Cases Display cases with a floating frame design for showcasing fossils and specimens, sold as an accessory to FossilEra's core collectible inventory.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates available for purchase through the FossilEra website, intended for fossil and mineral enthusiasts as a gifting option.
• Fossil Lake Safari (Dig Your Own Fossils) Ticketed fossil digging experience at the Green River Formation near Kemmerer, Wyoming, where visitors discover their own fossils including fish, plants, insects, and rare reptiles with expert guidance. Pricing tiers include Full Day ($169 adult / $89 child), 4 hours ($109 / $69), 2 hours ($79 / $49), and Private Dig Package at $750 for up to 10 people.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-day return policy and lifetime authenticity guarantee provide full refund if unsatisfied

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FossilSafari.com (FossilEra Adventures)coreOthersFossilEra operates Fossil Lake Safari near Kemmerer, Wyoming, allowing customers to dig for their own fossils in the Green River Formation. The experience is offered through FossilSafari.com and is operated by FossilEra Adventures, providing an experiential extension of the retail business.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crystal Age: Online retailer of crystals, minerals, fossils, and metaphysical specimens with global shipping. Overlaps with FossilEra's mineral and crystal category, particularly in the gift and hobbyist buyer segment.
• Dave's Down to Earth Rock Shop: Long-established US-based rock, fossil, and mineral retailer with both physical storefront and online sales. Comparable to FossilEra across mineral, fossil, and lapidary categories with similar hobbyist and educational buyers.
• Mineral Classics: Online retailer of classic and contemporary mineral specimens. Directly comparable to FossilEra's mineral category with overlapping collector customer base and similar authentication-driven positioning.
• The Arkenstone: Online retailer specializing in fine minerals and cabinet specimens. The closest direct peer to FossilEra in natural history collectibles e-commerce, with comparable premium-tier offerings and an authentication-led value proposition.
• Crystal Classics: UK-based online retailer of fine minerals, crystals, and fossils with global shipping. Competes directly with FossilEra on mineral and fossil inventory and serves the same serious-collector customer profile.
• Dinosaur Corporation: Online retailer of dinosaur-themed gifts, replicas, and fossil specimens. Adjacent competitor sharing FossilEra's dinosaur-collector and gift-buyer customer segments.
• Buried Treasure Fossils: Specialty online retailer of authentic fossils. Directly competes with FossilEra's core fossil category and serves the same serious collector and educational buyer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Heritage Auctions: Major auction house with a dedicated natural history department selling premium fossils, meteorites, and minerals. Represents the high-end auction channel competing for FossilEra's premium-tier customer spend.
• Bonhams: Global auction house with natural history sales of fossils, minerals, and meteorites. Competes for premium natural history collectibles buyers who might otherwise shop FossilEra's over-$10,000 tier.
• eBay Collectibles: General marketplace where individual sellers list fossils, minerals, and meteorites across price points. The most accessible, lower-trust alternative channel competing with FossilEra for hobbyist and entry-level buyers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fossilerastore
• Instagraminstagram.com/fossilera
• Xx.com/fossilera
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fossilera

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FossilEra