Im board and want to make some extra money, are there precious stones that can be prospected on the east coast preferably Maryland area?

You can look in the phone book for lapidaries and rock shops and get their advice on where to find pretty rocks. They can also advise you about prices and stuff.

Theres coal, tons of fossils (if you find a shale bed its very common), and there are even some diamond mines.

All about precious stones, courtesy of the USGS.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/1042g/report.pdf

I know you can find emeralds in North Carolina and diamonds in Kentucky. Read the report, it covers everything you could want to know, even if you just skim to the end of each category.

I don't think there are any useful precious stones in the Maryland area. However, the Delaware bay is the only home to a very unique sea creature called the "horseshoe crab" which is thought to be a "living fossil", possibly/probably a direct descendent of the trilobites. Trilobites were the most numerous creatures of the Cambrian era. You can walk along the coast of Delaware anywhere north of Rehobeth beach and pick up their dead shells that wash up. I believe they would have a ready market on ebay, since they can't be found anywhere else. Just a thought.

You're board - you mean actually made of wood? Wow, amazing.

This site might help you find gems in Maryland:
http://www.ehow.com/list_7617495_gems-maryland.html
You might also see if there are groups or clubs that search for precious stones in your area.