In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there are many activities for a player to take part in as they turn their island into a paradise. When you start out, your initial goals will be to start a settlement, gather essential resources, and figure out where everything is on your island.
However, after you unlock the museum, it is many players' primary goal to fill the building up with as many specimens as possible. Completing collections of bugs, fish, art, and fossils is quite an achievement and one of the main reasons New Horizons is still being played in 2023.
This guide will explain how to collect fossils, what fossils are available, and how much they're all worth in bells in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
How to get fossils
click to enlargeJust like the prior Animal Crossing games, fossils in New Horizons can be found by digging up small, star-shaped spots that appear on the floor around your island. Equip your shovel and dig these spots to reveal a fossil. Although, it is possible these spots could conceal other items, such as Pitfall seeds.
The fossil itself will initially be useless until it is assessed. To have it evaluated, talk to Blathers at the museum, who will reveal the fossil's identity and whether it is already a part of your collection.
On your island, up to five fossils will spawn per day. However, you can travel to a friend's island or a mystery island to find even more. If you're having particular trouble finding a specific fossil, you can always request to trade with friends too.
All fossils in New Horizons and their price
click to enlargeBelow, we have listed every fossil that there is to collect in Animal Crossing: New Horizons in alphabetical order, as well as their price in bells:
| Fossil name | Sell price in Bells |
|---|---|
| Acanthostega | 2000 |
| Amber | 1200 |
| Ammonite | 1100 |
| Ankylo Skull | 3500 |
| Ankylo Tail | 2500 |
| Ankylo Torso | 3000 |
| Anomalocaris | 2000 |
| Archaeopteryx | 1300 |
| Archelon Skull | 4000 |
| Archelon Tail | 3500 |
| Australopith | 1100 |
| Brachio Chest | 5500 |
| Brachio Pelvis | 5000 |
| Brachio Skull | 6000 |
| Brachio Tail | 5500 |
| Coprolite | 1100 |
| Deinony Tail | 2500 |
| Deinony Torso | 3000 |
| Dimetrodon Skull | 5500 |
| Dimetrodon Torso | 5000 |
| Dinosaur Track | 1000 |
| Diplo Chest | 4000 |
| Diplo Neck | 4500 |
| Diplo Pelvis | 4500 |
| Diplo Skull | 5000 |
| Diplo Tail | 4500 |
| Diplo Tail Tip | 4000 |
| Dunkleosteus | 3500 |
| Eusthenopteron | 2000 |
| Iguanodon Skull | 4000 |
| Iguanodon Tail | 3000 |
| Iguanodon Torso | 3500 |
| Juramaia | 1500 |
| Left Megalo Side | 4000 |
| Left Ptera Wing | 4500 |
| Left Quetzal Wing | 5000 |
| Mammoth Skull | 3000 |
| Mammoth Torso | 2500 |
| Megacero Skull | 4500 |
| Megacero Tail | 3000 |
| Megacero Torso | 3500 |
| Myllokunmingia | 1500 |
| Ophthalmo Skull | 2500 |
| Ophthalmo Torso | 2000 |
| Pachy Skull | 4000 |
| Pachy Tail | 3000 |
| Parasaur Skull | 3500 |
| Parasaur Tail | 2500 |
| Parasaur Torso | 3000 |
| Plesio Torso | 4500 |
| Plesio Skull | 4000 |
| Plesio Tail | 4500 |
| Ptera Body | 4000 |
| Quetzal Torso | 4500 |
| Right Megalo Side | 5500 |
| Right Ptera Wing | 4500 |
| Right Quetzal Wing | 5000 |
| Sabertooth Skull | 2500 |
| Sabertooth Tail | 2000 |
| Shark-Tooth Pattern | 1000 |
| Spino Skull | 4000 |
| Spino Tail | 2500 |
| Spino Torso | 3000 |
| Stego Skull | 5000 |
| Stego Tail | 4000 |
| Stego Torso | 4500 |
| T. Rex Skull | 6000 |
| T. Rex Tail | 5000 |
| T. Rex Torso | 5500 |
| Tricera Skull | 5500 |
| Tricera Tail | 4500 |
| Tricera Torso | 5000 |
| Trilobite | 1300 |
That's all you need to know about completing your fossil collection in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. If you want to collect all the fish in the game for your museum, we recommend our tips for catching fish and sharks too. Alternatively, why not try to get the perfect island?
For more articles like this, take a look at our Animal Crossing New Horizons and Guides page.