Yes, this is what you think it is....as long as you're thinking "Is that a REAL ammonite fossil encased in there?!?" How cool is that, an actual fossil, many millions of years old, encased in a marble that you can sit on the shelf with the rest of your collection! Ooooh yeah - answer, VERY cool, especially if you fully embrace your inner nerd. This is a hard piece to let go of, seeing as I have a certain affinity for ammonite fossils! Signed 'GT 2016'.