Black shiny rock unknown help us!?!?!?

[jimncarter103]

Hello all, we need some help. My 8yr old son was digging in the back yard a few minutes ago and found this black rock. He hit it with his shovel and it broke apart. The pieces are very sharp. I was thinking obsidian and then my imagination started going with his about meteorite tektites....

Can anyone help determine what it really is? We are in NJ USA and found it a bit 4 inches in the soil. It's not quite as heavy as we would think for its size.

Jim & Carter

 

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[Franz555]

hematite or glass from a smelter

 

[scotter1]

ditto

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Looks like melted glass not obsidian.All the obsidian I have has sharp flake type of edges.Also that looks bubbled like glass would do.

 

[Broken knee]

Well being that your located in NJ. I would say it is anthracite coal, not obsidian or glass. Anthracite is found in 2 types hard and soft, yours being the hard variety. It fractures just like glass with sharp edges . HH
And welcome aboard Tnet.
BK

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The thin-est edges of the broken pieces seem to show not even a slight amount of transparency. So, I've got to agree with Broken Knee that it is hard Anthracite coal. Obsidian and melted "black glass" will show at least a slight amount of transparency on a very-thin edge. Jim & Carter, please hold some pieces next to a strong light, to see if the edges are even slightly transparent, and let us know.

JimnCarter, I see that your ID-request post is your very first post here. Welcome to TreasureNet and the What-Is-It? forum, the best place on the internet to get unknown objects CORRECTLY identified.

 

[jimncarter103]

Thanks so much everyone. Carter and I followed your recommendations to find that no light shines through, not even on the thin edges. If there are any other tests you recommend, please let us know. Thanks for welcoming us to tnet. We are looking forward to many more finds and sharing with you all.

Jim & Carter

 

[Broken knee]

You can take one of those broken parts and put a torch to it and it should burn? HH
BK

 

[maxpower]

looks like coal to me