Need better, clearer pics please. From selling in store experience, some people love this stuff, some hate it. Price can be almost anywhere. Generally, the more mineralization. the better the price...
The more mineralization, the better, just as Austin suggests. But, there are other factors: How colorful is it? How interesting is the ring pattern (if any)? How interesting is the exterior (that is, is it obviously from a tree)? Where is the wood from? How old is it? How good a polish does the cut face have? Will the piece fit in my drawer? ...On my shelf? ...On my hearth? ...On my patio? ...In my garden?
Petrified wood is mostly an impulse buy based on esthetics. I doubt that many of us collect it systematically like we might collect trilobites or ammonites or brachiopods or teeth. (I am open to correction by the systematic pet. wood collectors!)
I have many pieces of pet. wood here. These sell because of their novelty and exterior form and because they fit on a shelf or in a drawer. The average piece sells for less than ten dollars.
you need clearer pictures. meanwhile, yes, Harry, there are some of us out there. I wouldn't say systematically, but stubbornly, as I prefer my pet. wood wild-caught, rather than bought. On a family trip, I detoured my family out of the way to see Glen Rose, TX, just because a bunch of the houses were made of petrified wood. I've been told (tho I have a hard time believing it, living in Fla) that every state contains petrified wood, and am trying to see how many states I can collect a sample in. I found some Texas petrified wood, but failed to find the elusive palm wood. The fun is in the hunting, thank goodness!!!
Tigger
Harry, I missed the label on your first post with the drool-worthy wood looking pet. wood, and your new picture is great, too! So there is hope!!! (If you have any hints about any particular stretch of the Santa Fe I should try, feel free to PM me.)
Cosmo, that is beautiful - with all those colors, I'm guessing northern Arizona? Is it really the huge chunk it looks like, or a closeup picture? Big is beautiful, but smaller slices. I'm going to start learning to slice and polish some of ours this year, the colors and grains can be so awesome!
Tigger