Bradenton South Florida Museum to unveil world's largest fossilized poop collection

BRADENTON -- The world's largest collection of fossilized poop will be unveiled Saturday at the South Florida Museum for National Fossil Day.

The Amazing Coprolite Collection, certified by Guinness World Records in August, includes 1,277 individual pieces of fossilized poop, called coprolites, from 15 states in the United States and eight countries. During the official count, more than 30 would-be coprolites were "flushed," as the paleontologists could not be certain that they were actual fossilized poop.

Museum Education Director Jeff Rodgers, a coprolite collector in his own right, is especially enthusiastic about this special exhibition.

"This isn't just any poop. This is fossilized poop. Scientifically, we call the prized nuggets coprolites, or 'dungstones,' " Rodgers said in a press release. "They are beautiful, in their way, and they are important because they can actually tell us quite a bit

about the plant and animal life that flourished in ecosystems that disappeared millions of years ago."

The South Florida Museum is offering reduced admission all day Saturday in honor of George Frandsen's collection unveiling. It will be less than half-price: $9 for adults, $8 for seniors (65 and older) and $7 for kids (ages 4-12).

Rodgers served as the official witness to the count and said he loved every minute of it.

"Twenty million year old crocodilian coprolites! Spirals of fossilized fish poop! Bags of mineralized frog feces! That is a good day at work," he said.

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bradenton South Florida Museum to unveil world's largest fossilized poop collection ."