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Welcome to the
POTATO ROCK MUSEUM!

It is all about the search for the elusive
“Potato, Rock” or the “Petrified Potato” or the Per Mineralized Potato,

It was 1984, and I was exploring the wild woods of Arkansas.  I would ride my mountain bike in from my home where we were building our home in the woods.  Now I have never been much of a rock collector, and probably could not find a valuable stone if I tried.  But sometimes just being in the wrong place at the wrong time ends up being right. 

I was attempting to cross one of the creeks on my mountain bike, and had popped my front wheel up on the other side when all of a sudden my rear wheel slid out and I went down in the creek.  No harm done to bike or body.  As I was getting up, something caught my eye.  It was up on the bank, and I could not believe my eyes!  What was a Potato doing out here 12 miles from anything.  It was nestled in the pine needles, just like an egg in a nest.  So what to do....  Well much to my and surely your amazement, I walk over and without a second thought, I picked up the Potato.  Boy was I in for a surprise.  That Potato weighed as much as a rock.  Well gosh darn it, that Potato is a rock. 

I stuck it in my hip pack and finished my adventure without any other odd occurrences.  I did keep glancing around, thinking I might find another Rock that looked like a Potato. 

When I got home I took the Rock out to look and to see if maybe my eyes had been playing tricks.  I washed off the dirt and much to my amazement and surely to yours, this thing looked even more like a Potato than ever.  It has a couple of small dents, like “eyes” in a potato, and even has a small groove in one side that looks like a potato that had taken some damage to the skin.  

Later I showed Susie my treasure, and she was very impressed with my find.  Or at least she acted that way.  She sure knows how to stroke my ego.

Since that day I have dedicated myself to finding more rocks that look like food.  Maybe a rock that looks like a strip of bacon, or maybe a rock that looks like a carrot would be neat!  But as the decades have passed, I have come to the conclusion that there just are not that many rocks that look like food.  That’s what makes this rock so special. 

I have had some good times with the Potato Rock.  My favorite is playing practical jokes on unsuspecting house guests.  Aha!  Let’s cook some baked Potatoes.  Imagine the surprise on their faces when they try to cut into their fresh served Baked Potato.  Hey!  This thing is as hard as a rock!  Mu aaah haaa haaa haaaaaaa!

Here is a group picture of my Potato Rock hanging out with a couple of real spuds.  Which one do you think is the Potato Rock. 
Is it the potato on the left?  Nope!  
Is it the potato on the right?  Nope!
If you guessed the one in the middle, you are correct, and you made a lucky guess.  Extraordinary isn’t it?

Below is a larger photo of my Potato Rock in all it’s glory!.  Magnificent, isn’t it.  Many have offered me money for my unique rock, but I have declined.  Sure I could take their measly hundred dollars, and then what would I have.  I would spend the money foolishly and I would no longer have my beloved rock. 

So I have built a Web Page for my Potato Rock with hopes that others can marvel in this mystery of creation.  Is it a fossilized potato?  Is it a petrified potato?  Well whatever it is, it is very cool, and it is mine.  I also hope to find others that have found rocks that look like Potatoes. So if your out there, and you have a rock that looks like an Potato, contact me and I will be glad to add your find to the POTATO ROCK MUSEUM

Check out all the great Potato Rocks that have been added below to the Potato Rock Museum since my opening of the Potato Rock Museum.

Contact me: 
Mike Kelsey at kelsey.mike@gmail.com
if you have a Potato Rock that you would like to have highlighted in the Potato Rock Museum.  

Check this out!
February 18, 2006

A Real Per mineralized Potato? (Petrified Potato)

I have had about 5 people share their potato rocks that they have found.  This one is worth posting.  The owner of this rock had it tested by the Museum of Natural History, and with microscopic examination, they declared that it showed like structure to a real potato.  No carbon dating was done.  The owner states the Museum offered to buy the rock for $1,500.00 dollars.  The owner declined the offer but would be willing to part for a “Very Significant” larger dollar amount.  Were talking big buck here!           

By R.  S.

"The Spud" It was given to me in 1980 and I had it examined at the Museum of Natural History in "82. The three persons there offered me $1,500.00 for the thing and I turned it down knowing that if was worth a thousand...it was likely to be worth ten thousand. I've recently search for auction links through high end organizations to try and get the very most out of it. Well, I approached the Millionaires Club to ask if they wouldn’t mind posting it mind one of their links to sell and got some interesting replies. No offers though. A self-made Millionaire in Canada has been fascinated with it and assisted me with the suggestion to post it with the Billionaires Club on possible links that sell Estates, Manors, Islands, etc. stating that "Millionaires don't like to lose their Millions" and that "Billionaires make a Million in less than a week". Pretty sensible thinking. Also said a Million wasn't high enough for eccentric wealth...and 5 million was a scary figure, so, 3.5 was set for the asking price on the Spud. I've receive two interesting replies. One, at last contact, asking if my price was firm? It's been less than two weeks since our last e-mail and no new news on the matter of reply.

And Another Potato Rock!

MY POTATO ROCK STORY

By Benjamin C. Wright

Several years ago in the nineties, I and a friend were touring an old Virginia Plantation. We took a break from the walking and sat on one of the benches along the path. After a minutes rest, I decided to take a walk in the field behind us, and look for some unique stones or rocks to take back as souvenirs. I usually do this when away on a vacation.

As I walked and looked, I spotted a potato lying on the ground. I thought that odd, and went to pick it up. To my surprise it was heavy and hard more like a rock. On quick examination it had all the characteristics of a potato. I walked back to our bench, held it up and asked my friend, “What is this?” He said, “A potato, of course”

When I let him hold it, he said, “It’s a rock or a rock potato.” We sat and gave it a serious examination and agreed that it was in fact, a petrified potato.

I have since over the years shown it to hundreds of people, with the “before and after” approach, and every one of them has concluded that it is a potato rock. (That is, except for a couple “experts”.) Seeking validation, I took my potato rock to a local science museum. They concluded that it was just a quartz rock called Chalcedony, and not a fossilized potato. I could not agree, for “seeing is believing”. I looked up Chalcedony and found that this mineral frequently pseudomorphs (1) after organic materials. A well known example is petrified wood, wood that has completely transformed into Chalcedony {or one of several other minerals}(2). I took my “rock” to some “experts” at the State Department of Natural Resources. Two of them immediately said it was just a rock, but one said it should be x-rayed to tell for sure.

This remains for me to get done. My research reveals that petrification can occur when the cellular cavities of an organic object become saturated with a liquidized mineral,(usually Quartz or Silica), and become hardened over time and conditions of burial and climate changes.

On close examination you can see externally, that my rock is as a potato due to:

1.Color, shape & size; 2. Various skin textures and color tones; 3. Potato “eyes”; 3. Fiber-like material in apertures; White “meat” areas where skin removed.

1. Pseudomorph: A mineral possessing the external form characteristic of another.

2. www.minerals.net

Another Potato Rock Story
Posted: December, 16, 2007

PETRIFIED POTATO

I've found a lot of strange things over the years, and this Petrified Potato has to rank in the Top Ten strangest finds.

Considering how many states I have traveled through and/or lived in, I hope you will forgive me if I can't be entirely sure where I found this odd bit of History. All I know is that it had to be somewhere between Phoenix, Arizona and Crescent City, California. I have kept this Potato safe and happy for over 15 years.

The Potato is 5 3/4" long and about 3" wide. A good sized baker. It weighs only 4 ounces.

It looks just like a standard garden-variety potato. Same color. Same indentations you would expect. But it's so light! And it's certainly no longer edible.

After reading the potato stories on this web site, my husband and I have decided to have someone take a look at it. I'll let you know what we find out.

Annette Halischak

Steubenville, OH

Stick a fork in it!

Posted January, 2008

I found this potato rock while walking along the
railroad track in Ridley Township, Pa. January 2008.

Regards,

Michael
 

Dinner is Ready

Posted April, 2008

Hi,

I found this rock this morning while digging up bushes and my girlfriend posed it next to a steak and salad to bring the picture to her job at a restaurant...everyone was fooled.

Thanks for your web site and please feel free to add our "potato" to your picture collection.

Thanks,

Jim

Finish Your Potato!

Posted May, 2008

I found one in my garden today.  It is also white on the inside.

Found it near Lake Superior.

Larry Mantta

Another Potato Rock found in a Garden
Posted September, 2008

Hello I found this rock while watching my husband roto-till our garden. I thought it was a real potato he had tilled up. What a surprise when I picked it up and it was cold and rock hard. When i show it to people they always ask me if it could be a petrified potato. I tell them anything is possible. The first image shows an "eye" the second shows a long blemish. one end is even a little wrinkled looking as if it was beginning to spoil.

Like you I love my potato rock too!!!

Julie

Take Your Pick!
Posted April, 2009

Found in Oklahoma, Bruce has found a Potato Rock as well as a Sweet Potato Rock.
“An odd rock, looks like a small potato, has a agate like chunk sticking out of one end, and it's heavy for it's size 1.5" x 2.25" x 2.74”. -  Bruce

Wow!  This Tater Had a Few Bruises, But Still a Nice Potato Rock!
Posted May , 2010

I found this @ 20 years ago while off-roading on the mountains surrounding Lake Havasu, AZ.  We stopped in a clearing that looked like a perfect camp site for somebody but it still seemed we discovered it ourselves (we were in a very remote spot and made our own path to get there). I was at the edge of the area and looked down and saw the old rotten potato and felt bummed that others had been there before.  I kicked it aside an felt the weight, very heavy for it's size, picked it up and was immediately fascinated. "Hey, I found a petrified potato!", I called to my friend, he agreed.  It was unlike any of the other dark, small, jagged rocks it the area, it stuck out like a sore thumb.  It haves many eyes, some tiny hair line fissures and a few rotten spots, (I am very familiar with them as I had to clean and dig out the rotten spots from thousands of bulk potatoes when I worked in a restaurant in high school).  It also haves some old, rock-hard dirt on the skin indicating it was buried at one time.  I use the word skin because over the years it had gotten scratched revealing a totally different color and texture just under the paper thin covering.  It is also irregularly shaped like a potato, not round like a river rock, yet it's smooth and haves a natural slight sheen to it.

 My own theory is that it was found somewhere else by someone, (possibly a native American dug it up while farming), then brought it to their camp, at that site, and cast aside being an inedible rock, then I stumbled upon it, literally, many years later.

 I have shown it to many of my friends and family, all smart educated people, albeit no one in the business of ancient side dishes, many skeptics among them, and the evidence only points to the same conclusion by all... that it IS a petrified potato!

 That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Thanks,

Steve Bush

Deer Hunt yields a very nice Potato Rock!
Posted April 4, 2011. 

My nephew and his friends have a hunting club with several deer stands. My grandson Calvin Chilton had shot a deer just before sunset and when all the hunters exited their stands, My Nephew Billy Knight, His Daughter, and his friend Jason Murray went looking for the deer in the woods, while I was looking for the deer, I stepped on what I thought was a potato until I picked it up and it was a rock that looked just like a potato. I got permission to keep it and I brought it home with me in Reidsville, N. C. I have a set of balance scales and I weighed the Potato rock and it weighs two pounds plus or minus and ounce. My friend Mr Ed English and I go to the same church and he I consider is an expert with rocks. He said it looked like Quartz, He advised me to hold onto it. I have had a lot of fun with it, everyone I show it to thinks it's a Potato.  “A potato until I say hold it and they say it's a Potato Rock!”

Sincerely

Henry Evans

Reidsville, N. C.

Potato Rock Found in Enid, Oklahoma!
Posted May 30, 2011

Found this in Enid Oklahoma on May 27, 2011 while building a new apartment complex.

Looked down on the ground and saw a potato... so I picked it up and it was a rock :-)
Don't feel the need for a reenactment video..... (besides both Yul Brynner and  Charlton Heston are dead) they were the only actors who could pull it off.

A. Douglas
Guthrie, Oklahoma

Potato Rock Found in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!
Posted August 4, 2011

This petrified potato, found in 1969 by my father Mr Michel Dib while on expedition with the ministry of petroleum. in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This potato head  was carbon dated by the BRGM ( French buro of geology) lab, to 3000 years old when the desert was an arid land

It is now with me in the UK. I hope you find that interesting .

Submitted by Charlie Dib.

Potato Rock found in Newbrunswick, Canada!
Posted August, 27, 2011

My daughter was playing in a field and found what she thought was a rock and gave it took me and I had a look at it I knew it was a potato. A “Petrified Potato”!  so I sent it to the Saint John museum  of Newbrunswick, Canada and  they said it was quartz and they wanted to cut it open!  I said no...  I was suppose to bring it to a rock specialist but I never did but I got offered 5000 for it but it wasn’t enough  I never heard about another one  found in Canada yet.

I have now had it in my possession for over 17 years now, and it is for sale for the right price!

Contact Keith at  keithcarroll@hotmail.ca if you have an interest in this find. 

Potato Rock with Curious Drawn Markings-  Very Interesting!
Posted September 20, 2011

We live in Rockland County, NY an area known for it's alluvial deposits. We were however pleasantly surprised to find this wonderful "potato rock" in our yard while doing some landscaping. 

On close inspection we found on what had been the underneath side of the rock, the appearance of some kind of drawn on markings..faint but too regular to have been natural.

When held in certain light you can see round shading where the "hands" might be on the upper left and right "arms"...very interesting. This is on the  bottom down point as we found it.

Please feel free to share it. I just think they are an incredible link to a very distant past. 

What a unique object to have.

F. White

Maryland Potato Rock
Posted September 25, 2011

Our Potato Rock has been in our family since 2006, however, it has been buried in our yard for a very long time, I suspect. 

We moved into our little farmhouse in October of 1991 in Baltimore, Maryland and in 2006 we broke ground in order to build an addition.  We went from a 2 bedroom to a 4 bedroom house.  We also added a basement. Our excavator was digging this basement in October of 2006 when he spotted this potato rock from atop his machine.  He stopped the machine, got down and picked it up, thinking it was a potato.  We were shocked to find out it was actually a rock.

Since then, my boys and I (as well as my students, as I've taken it to school a couple of times) have wondered: Could it be a petrified potato?  Is it a dinosaur egg?  Could it be a geode?  What's in it...and what is it?  Yesterday, my 15 year old picked it off my desk and said, "Why do you still have this"?  I said, "You know what, let me Google it".  And the rest is history...We found your website!  How cool!  What is it, anyway, and what is in it?

Thanks for doing this!  We don't feel so alone anymore!

Charissa

Baltimore,

Pennsylvania Potato Rock
Posted December 9, 2011

I found this potato rock in a barn I was dismantling in southwest Pennsylvania. I picked it up, certain that it was a potato. But it is hard and heavy. It even has indentations like there were "eyes."
 

Cordially,
Scott Frederick

Portugal Potato Rock
Posted February 23, 2012

Me and my boyfriend found 'potato weight' on a beach in Portugal. It immediately struck as us looking very potato like but we presumed it was a rock and thought nothing more. We packed it in our suitcase as we thought it would make a lovely paper weight hence the name.
 3 years passed and one evening for some random reason it came into my thoughts. I found it and was convinced it was actually a fossilized potato. Why it took me 3 years to realize this I do not know. We then found this website which has made me very happy, particularly the parts about money! But in all honesty I don't know if I could part with potato weight we have grown close.

G,J  & Potato weight xx

Minnesota Potato Rock
Posted March 4th, 2012

My Great Grandpappy found this in his garden in Minnesota and gave it to me 25 years ago. I always told people it was a petrified potato but nobody believed me. My 8th grade science teacher even laughed in my face when I showed this to him. I am very proud of my red potato rock. Thank you for having a nice tater site.
Samantha Doro

Right: picture is the potato rock

Bottom Left is the rock with 2 real potato's

Bottom Right is the potato rock with many assorted potato's

Colorado Potato Rock together with Maryland Potato Rock
Posted April 17th, 2012

The Potato Rock portion of this story started at some point in the mid 70's, we're not really sure specifically when, but that's how the 70's were. One rock was discovered in Colorado, the other in Maryland, both were picked up as really unique rocks, something that each person had never before seen, both were discovered while on camping/hiking excursions.

The two people in this story are Jack and Jody. They have known each other for 50 some years, since 1st grade. They went through elementary, some jr. high and all senior high at the same schools. They had similar circles of friends, but mostly the circles overlapped and although these two young people knew each other, the friendship between them did not exist yet.

They did what many people do; had girl and boy friends, got married several times, had responsible jobs and enjoyable hobbies, had no children. Over the course of the next 30 years their paths crossed several times but mostly just came very, very close to crossing. Then came Facebook!  Jack was poking around one day looking for high school acquaintances and came across Jody and asked her to be his friend . She accepted and during the course of their becoming reacquainted, Jack mentioned that he had a great rock that he found out in Colorado and he had carried it back with him across the country. Jody mentioned that she also had some rocks that she carried around with her from place to place and how that Jack was the only other person she had ever known that carried rocks with them from place to place throughout their lifetime. Fast forward 2 years. Jack and Jody are in a relationship with each other. One day they are talking about the rocks again and the fact that they are both shaped like baked potatoes came to light. Very, very curious, they both thought.  They each took photos and e-mailed them to each other. Jack phoned Jody after receiving her photo and said, "I think you better go look at your e-mail RIGHT NOW!  Jack brought his rock to Jody's house and that's how they (the rocks) came to be side by side in the photo. Jody found the web site for the Potato Rock Museum and well, this is our story and we're sticking to it. Here are 2 rocks, possibly 3000 years old, providing yet another sign to these 59 year old youngsters.

"Geologists have a saying - Rocks remember"  Neil Armstrong

Jack and Jody
 

Trabuco Canyon, California Potato Rock
Who stole half of my Baked Tater!!!
Posted May 8th, 2012

I found this half of a potato rock in Trabuco Canyon, California after a rain. It is the size of an actual potato. 

What kind of rock do you think it is?  I found another one years ago. 

Just thought I'd send it to you since I found your site.

Thanks,

Debbie

Connecticut Potato Rock- We have a Stowaway!
Posted May 25, 2012

I went shopping and bought a 5lb bag of potatoes.  When I got home my dinner menu needed mashed potatoes when I got to the bottom of  the bag there was this "HARD " potato, I looked at it ad strangely it looks like a real potato but it was so hard.  Low behold...   a petrified potato!    Strangely enough we enjoyed a good meal and a great conversation piece,     Glad I found this web site!  Very interesting indeed.

Oh....  the Potato on the bottom is the Petrified Potato Rock. 

 Thank you,
Annette Suares , CT

Nova Scotia, Canada Potato Rock- Served up on a Sandbar.
Posted June 14, 2012

This Potato Rock was found on a beach 13th June 2012 at Blue Sea on the Malagash Peninsula in Nova Scotia, Canada. It was on a sand bar not usually exposed except at very low tides. We thought it was a potato that had been washed up, and so did everyone we showed it to. Now a prized possession amongst our beach finds!

Regards

Graham Hutchinson

Candor, New York Potato Rock- In search of Treasure!.
Posted July 3rd, 2012

I found this potato rock on July 1, 2012 in Candor, NY. We were in the forest using a metal detector to look for metal objects near some rocks that we believe to be the remnants of the foundation of an old home. After getting a signal in one spot we dug down a foot or two and found some very old metal nails and spikes and a piece of an old iron stove. Much to my surprise, we also found this amazing potato rock! It was buried in the dirt but it was so round and smooth that I knew it was not a regular rock. It looks exactly like a potato (with eyes and everything), but it is definitely a rock! You really cannot tell that it isn't a potato until you pick it up.

Jen

Ypsilanti Michigan Potato Rock- From an Ancient Garden!
Posted September 15th, 2012

I found it at my home in Ypsilanti Michigan. I had just moved into a new place and decided I should clean up the yard and start a garden. It was in may 2012 when I was digging behind my shed and taking the big rocks that I found and making a pile to get rid of. I went to throw this one in the pile when I looked at it and thought " wow this looks just like a potato". So when I came in for the day I Googled potato rock and found your site. I think it's pretty neat and have shown everyone they think it's hilarious.

Sarah

Texas Potato Rock- Texas yields Petrified Potato!
Posted September 24th, 2012

We are in Texas and we were digging the other day and I found some rocks that look like potatoes. My husband thought I was crazy, but I want to see what you think of them. We are always finding shells and other rocks that you can tell once was on a sea shore. This is the first time that we found rocks that looks like potatoes. I would love to hear what others have to say once they are on the web site.  I am sure to hold onto them, like you said they are fun to have.

Irene

Potato Rock found in sack of Potatoes!
Posted November 24th, 2012

Just this afternoon I went to grocery store to purchase a few things for dinner including a bag of potatoes. To our surprise as the bag was opened and while removing the potatoes to be washed and prepared this heavy "potato" caught our attention. I have never seen anything like it. So of course after much discussion and photos I could not resist Googling this rock. I found your site. Amazing!!!

I have never seen anything like this in my 40 plus years. Thought you might enjoy this. I will definitely keep this as I am sure it will be an excellent conversation piece in the years to come. Happy Thanksgiving.

Gena Foster

Another Potato Rock found in sack of Potatoes
in Rancho Mirage, California!
Posted February 19th, 2013

So, my potato is certainly not as rare as I thought ! I was a produce clerk for ten years, so I know my potatoes. When I was assistant store manager at the Vons (Safeway Co. store) in Rancho Mirage, California, a lady brought this in to me with a complaint. She had bought a 10 lb. bag of potatoes and this was in it. I was flabbergasted. I gave her a refund for the bag of potatoes and kept this one as a souvenir, as she didn't want it. It has all the markings, and no cuts in it.

Thank you for posting your web page on this.

Sincerely,

Mark Avery

Potato Rock found hidden in the Marigolds
in New Jersey!
Posted May 1st, 2013

I live in a community town house in New Jersey. I had a bush and two trees removed from my front patio back in 2010. But It was not until Sunday April 28th 2013’ when I made the discovery while planting African marigolds. My first reaction was that I had found the Shankar stone from the movie India Jones and The Temple of Doom.

I made a joke about it, when I called my wife to the front door. Ironically this was her favorite Movie.

So while holding the stone I began Chanting Ohno shba, Ohno shba Ohno shba!!! The stone will be found but you will not Dr. Jones. Needless to say my wife lost it with laughter.

The stone sat in my home a few days. That is when I decided to conduct an internet research.

Luis

Contact me: 
Mike Kelsey at kelsey.mike@gmail.com if you have a Potato Rock
that you would like to have highlighted in the Potato Rock Museum.