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I've done a bunch of keyword searching today and my eyes are crossing so, if this is in the wrong place, feel free to correct me. What methods do y'all use to manage and track your specimens collection? I've used Trilobase, ReCollector, Access, and Excel. I've been the happiest with the first two, but they still feel clunky or lacking in support/updates. I'm just trying to see if there's something else out there that's high quality without costing me museum prices. Bonus for something PC-based that has a smartphone app as well. Whatever method you use, I'm interested in hearing your thoughts. I'm always up for getting good ideas. Thanks!

Hello, I have recently been reorganising things and found this trilobite without a label. It definitely had one at some point, I have been searching for a while and cannot find it. Unfortunately, I now have no information about it. From what I recall, the label only said Morocco for the location. Could it be a Leonaspis? Thank you

Assembling an Archival Marking Kit for Paleontological Specimens this PDF shows some of the do's and dont's of archiving/ cataloging and record keeping systems, and making an Archiving kit.

So I want to number and catalog my fossils. But most of them are on display with labels and In my opinion it does not look good with fossils on display. How can I still have the numbers there as they are very important. Under the display labels? I do want to put numbers on matrix pieces. Not sure how to do it though. I will use excel. Regards

I'm not sure which category this would fit best in, so I'll put it here. @Bobby Rico in another thread got me thinking about labels directly on specimens, what with the appeal of old labels on specimens from historic collections and other considerations. I figured it couldn't hurt to attach labels directly onto some specimens (with more than the catalogue number that I put on all of my specimens) so that whoever ends up with them after I part with them, whether museum or private collector, would actually have to put some effort into scraping off the label to lose the provenance info! I have included the usual information: the name (if I know it), the geologic age, formation, location, date found, my initials, and the cat# even though it is duplicated elsewhere on the rock. More detailed info for each specimen can be found in my notebook, though that mainly consists of a more exact location. I had already done one label a few years back for another large specimen similar to this one which was displayed publicly at a fossil event. I decided to do a few more. So I dug out my old typewriter and made some labels for my largest self-found local pieces. Here is one result. This specimen has a handy flat fracture face to put the label on, as did the earlier one. I did find the old typewriter difficult to use. I've been spoiled by the easy-touch computer keyboard, and the ease of hitting 'backspace' to correct mistakes! But maybe my typewriter could use a new ribbon too, as it requires a heavy punch or a double punch to get more than a faint letter. The number of times I had to start over again was enough to send ya. (I don't really want to use whiteout on the labels.) The only other thing I don't like is the size of the type/spacing is a bit big. Maybe other typewriters have smaller fonts which would enable smaller labels. Or maybe I should just give in and use the computer printer to make my labels... Not sure if the printer ink will run when the label gets wet, though. Also I tried a couple different types of glue and find that the old white glue seems to work better than the Acryloid, though I haven't yet determined how much water is best to dilute it with. The water helps to soften the paper somewhat so that it conforms to the unevenness of the rock surface. But it's a bit messy, and it can be difficult to hold the heavy rock in such a position as to keep the label horizontal so the glue doesn't run off in one direction, while dabbing it off with TP, until it dries enough to put it down and let it continue drying. Anyway I like the results for the most part. Does anyone else do this with any of their pieces, and what method do they use, or do they think it marrs the look of the specimen? I guess it would depend on the piece. (I would generally put the label on the back/bottom so that it is not seen when displayed. It is more about keeping the info with the specimen. A loose label or notebook can easily be separated from the specimen or lost altogether.) But it is a bit of work which may not really be worth it in the end. I dunno. Of course not all specimens will accommodate a label easily or at all. I will only do this with the larger ones that aren't earmarked for immediate donation to science/museum but maybe it wouldn't hurt to attach labels on some of those also? I think the labels will be removable with acetone, if necessary, whether attached with white glue or Paraloid/Acryloid.

So i got a few questions as im now fixing my collection. I might buy these wood shelfs. Is it good for fossils? N1 second question i got a cabinet drawer. I got some paper/cardboard boxes from a rock shop and i have printed out information about the fossils like locaiton, Age, Species/genus but will the printed paper be harmful? They are beside the fossil or under it. last question. I made my own riker boxes and made it with this Backround. Sadly I dont know the name of the Backround material i used I bought this a few years ago. N2 N2 n1

Hi Does anyone know what is the best glue to use for glueing paper labels to fossils. Just like the victorians used to do. Thanks Nick

A friend of mine purchased a collection recently with bits and pieces from several Canadian and American locations, but a lot of specimens had no labels, including this crinoid. Any help with ID and possible location is appreciated. The entire crinoid measures between 4-5cm. It was identified on FB fairly confidently by a well known collector/dealer as Apographiocrinus typicalis from the LaSalle limestone of Pontiac, Illinois (Pennsylvanian age). Not that I don't trust that person, but second opinions never hurt. Thanks in advance.

My collection is starting to become large enough that I'm getting worried about forgetting where something was collected. I bought some titanium white acrylic paint and paintbrushes to label my fossils, so now all I need is a labeling scheme. I was curious what you found worked best for your collection?

Something that comes up for me now and again(like right now), is when someone is selling a fossil of something that is extremely rare, or maybe BEYOND extremely rare. Is there an easy place to check that kinda stuff? Find out if fossils are being found of them? Specifically Ive seen sarchosuchus teeth and scutes for sale, but as far as I know, only 1 specimen has ever been found, and that was only the skull, and....I dunno, maybe a few verts or something. Even if a number more have been found, like a dozen individuals or something, there's really no way you would ever find something like that for sale would you? And if you did, it would HAVE to be in the hundreds of thousands or millions, or something?

I picked up this Brittlestar recently at a fossil fair, but when I tried to research it later the Cyphaspis label seems to refer to a Trilobite sp. Can anyone clarify what I have here?

Hi all, I like to put proper labels on all my fossils, and I usually do it like this Example: Petrified Wood Conifer araucaria 195 mya Madagascar However, I 've occasionally seen labels on other fossils that go by Fossilized Tooth Mosasaur sp. 144 - 65 mya Morocco My question is with the "Mosasaur sp." part. I understand a standard labeling convention usually includes the scientific name of the species involved. However, what does Mosasaur sp. mean in this case? Is it referring to the fact that the tooth in question belongs to a mosasaur, but is not narrowed down to any one particular species. Also, when I look at the naming of the Tyrannosaurus, it can go like this. Dinosaur Tooth T. rex 67 mya North America Why would the mosasaur naming go for "sp." while the Tyrannosaurus naming go for "T."