Fossil Collector Guides
Preserve the physical specimen, the evidence around it, and the records that make it meaningful.
Intervene less. Document more.
Cleaning, preparation, repair, labeling, storage, and display should preserve anatomy and context rather than maximize shine.
Cleaning Fossils Safely
Remove loose dirt only after identifying the fossil, matrix, coatings, consolidation, and risks.
Open guide →Fossil Preparation Basics
Preparation exposes anatomy but can also add interpretation, restoration, and irreversible loss.
Open guide →Repairs, Restoration & Reconstruction
Separate stabilization, repair, gap filling, sculpted replacement, and composite assembly.
Open guide →Composite and Fake Fossils
Evaluate whether every visible part belongs to the same organism, slab, and geologic event.
Open guide →Why Fossil Matrix Matters
Matrix records sediment, preparation boundaries, associated fossils, and locality clues.
Open guide →How to Measure Fossils
Use repeatable measurements and state whether matrix, curve, or restored parts are included.
Open guide →Photographing Fossils for Identification
Good images reveal anatomy, matrix, preparation, restoration, and scale.
Open guide →Fossil Storage & Conservation
Stable temperature, humidity, support, labels, and reversible materials protect collections.
Open guide →Displaying Fossils
A display should support the specimen without drilling, staining, crushing, or hiding evidence.
Open guide →
Shipping Fossils
Pack the fossil, matrix, and projections as a system with immobilization and double-boxing.
Open guide →Fossil Provenance
A strong record connects the specimen to a legal source, locality, formation, collector, date, and preparation history.
Open guide →Cataloging a Fossil Collection
Assign stable numbers and preserve both physical and digital records.
Open guide →Reading Fossil Scientific Names
Treat genus and species labels as hypotheses supported by anatomy, locality, age, and current literature.
Open guide →Formation and Locality Research
A fossil’s rock unit and place can eliminate impossible identifications and reveal legal context.
Open guide →Using Sold Comparables for Fossils
Compare the same fossil group, locality, size, completeness, preparation, restoration, and provenance.
Open guide →Fossil Estate Collections
Inventory first, then separate scientifically important, legally sensitive, valuable, educational, and common material.
Open guide →Pyrite Decay in Fossils
Oxidizing pyrite can crack specimens and produce acidic products that damage nearby material.
Open guide →Casts, Replicas & 3D Prints
Replicas can be accurate, affordable, legal, and educational when clearly labeled.
Open guide →