AI identification & appraisal estimate

Shaped rock object

Submitted photo of Shaped rock object
Photo submitted by the user — not generated by AI

User's notes

This prehistoric chert portable rock human skull effigy was found in Guthrie OK. The skull effigy is likely either from the Archaic or Paleo Indian eras. It measures 6.5" x 3" and weighs approximately 2.5 pounds

These notes were written by the person who submitted this item. Appraiser.AI has not verified them, and the AI's identification and estimate may rely on them.

AI Estimated Value

Not an official valuation

$100-300

AI estimate as of August 22, 2026 · verify with a professional before acting

AI-Generated · Verify before acting

Everything on this page is generated by AI for informational purposes only. AI can make mistakes — the AI may misidentify items or misattribute them (artist, maker, brand, designer, origin, era). This is not an official valuation and should not be used for insurance, sale, tax, estate, legal, or lending purposes — or any decision requiring a certified appraisal. It is not an authoritative claim about any person, brand, or rights holder — do not share or rely on it as a factual statement about a third party. Always consult qualified professionals before making financial decisions.

This analysis also relies on unverified notes provided by the user, which may be incomplete or inaccurate and could affect the result.

Read the full disclaimer

AI Item Analysis

This object is a naturally or artificially weathered tan-colored rock displaying irregular contours and hollowed-out recesses on its surface, resting on a gray wood-grain surface next to a encapsulated US silver eagle coin shown for scale. The material appears to be a porous, earthy stone or mineral formation with rough textures, varying tones of beige and brown, and darker iron-oxide staining or sediment within the depressions. There are no visible maker's marks, signatures, or unambiguous human-made tool marks discernible in the photograph. The owner provides the unverified context that this is a prehistoric chert portable rock human skull effigy found in Guthrie, Oklahoma, potentially dating to the Archaic or Paleo Indian eras, measuring approximately 6.5 inches by 3 inches and weighing around 2.5 pounds. However, without physical inspection, geological testing, or clear anthropogenic modification indicators, such an identification remains unauthenticated and speculative. The general shape features depressions that might suggest facial features to an imaginative observer, but natural weathering processes such as differential erosion or solution cavities in limestone, chert, or other sedimentary rocks can frequently create pareidolia effects resulting in skull-like or figural resemblances. The condition shows natural patination, rough edges, and surface pitting consistent with geological weathering over an indeterminate timespan. The attribution of this piece as a human effigy relies entirely on the user-supplied notes, while visual evidence alone supports only a description as an irregularly shaped rock with natural cavities.

AI Appraisal Report

Based on what I can see in the provided photograph, this object is a naturally weathered, tan-colored rock featuring irregular contours and hollowed-out recesses. Per user submission, the owner identifies this as a prehistoric chert portable rock human skull effigy found in Guthrie, Oklahoma, potentially dating to the Archaic or Paleo Indian eras, measuring approximately 6.5 by 3 inches and weighing around 2.5 pounds. However, I can't verify from a photo whether this is an intentional human artifact or merely a product of natural geological weathering, such as differential erosion or solution cavities creating a pareidolia effect. Physical inspection and geological testing would be needed to confirm if anthropogenic modification is present. The basis for this appraisal assumes the user-supplied context is correct for the sake of valuation; under that working assumption, comparable collectible Native American artifacts and suspected effigy stones occasionally trade within a modest collector market, typically in the $100 to $300 range depending on buyer interest in vernacular or eccentric lithic curiosities. Demand for unverified portable rock art is highly speculative and niche, as collectors generally require robust provenance or expert authentication before paying premium prices. If this item is determined to be a purely natural geologic formation lacking human modification, or if it is treated simply as an unprovenanced natural stone, its value would largely drop to nominal or decorative mineral specimen levels, typically under $25 to $50. To establish any higher tier of value or confirm authenticity, an in-person examination by a qualified archaeologist or lithic expert, alongside documented find-spot provenance, would be required.

Keep exploring

More minerals and fossils appraisals

Get your items appraised

Instant AI-powered appraisal estimates from a photo

Browse More Appraisals