My small collection

[thelivingdead531]

My collection is quite meager compared to everyone else's, and most were bought, but I was excited to show it off anyway. I received two riker cases yesterday (though one was missing two pins, so I haven't put it together yet) to put my shells in from my Walton on the Naze finds. I'll need a deeper case for some of the other shells that aren't displayed.

 

Other than the shells and the two corals on the sides of the knightia fish, the rest have been purchased.

[Fossildude19]

Neat collection so far!

Your fish is a Diplomystus dentatus, rather than an Knightia eocaena.  

The large anal fin is the main distinguishing feature - Knightia doesn't have that large of an anal fin. 

Thanks for sharing with us. 
Regards, 

[thelivingdead531]

Ah! Thank you @Fossildude19, the seller listed it as a knightia, I'm grateful for the correction! I was also told it was from the Green River Formation, would that be correct?

[Kane]

A small but mighty collection with some quality pieces. Chapeau!

 

It really doesn't take very long before the collection grows and threatens to edge you out of your own home! You'll get to that point of having an "embarrassment of riches" soon enough, and there'll hardly be a surface without fossils on it. From that point, the line becomes crossed from "neatly arranged museum-like display" to "crammed to the rafters warehouse"!  

[digit]

Correct it is from the Green River Formation. Diplos are not as common as Knightia (the most common fish species in that formation) so you got a nice "upgrade" on that fish due to the seller's ignorance.

 

Every collection starts small and grows according to the interest of the collector. The real fun is adding items that you've found yourself. That way you'll always remember good times in the field hunting for fossils whenever you pass by the display case.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[snolly50]

A very nice assemblage. The display case is a lovely piece of furniture and certainly adds to the aesthetic impact of the pieces.

[thelivingdead531]

46 minutes ago, Kane said:

A small but mighty collection with some quality pieces. Chapeau!

 

It really doesn't take very long before the collection grows and threatens to edge you out of your own home! You'll get to that point of having an "embarrassment of riches" soon enough, and there'll hardly be a surface without fossils on it. From that point, the line becomes crossed from "neatly arranged museum-like display" to "crammed to the rafters warehouse"!  

 

I honestly look forward to the latter point! That just means I get to replace my cheaper furniture with beautiful display cases, which are abundant here in England. 

 

44 minutes ago, digit said:

Correct it is from the Green River Formation. Diplos are not as common as Knightia (the most common fish species in that formation) so you got a nice "upgrade" on that fish due to the seller's ignorance.

 

Every collection starts small and grows according to the interest of the collector. The real fun is adding items that you've found yourself. That way you'll always remember good times in the field hunting for fossils whenever you pass by the display case.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

Amazing! Thank you for your help on that as well. When I started collecting it was just buying a piece here and there 'to say I had a fossil', but when I actually started going out and finding my own, it was a whole new experience. I've always loved fossils, I just never thought I could do it myself...until I proved myself wrong. I'm hooked! 

[thelivingdead531]

Thank you @snolly50. It is one of my favorite items that I've acquired while in England. I knew it would be great for fossil and historic displays. I have a Roman coin from 306 AD and a casket key from the 14/15th century in there as well. 

[LiamL]

I like your collection

[ynot]

 good start on what will be a great collection. (If You keep it up).

[thelivingdead531]

1 hour ago, LiamL said:

I like your collection

 

Thank you! It's small, but I'm proud of it. 

 

55 minutes ago, ynot said:

 good start on what will be a great collection. (If You keep it up).

 

Thank you, I definitely plan on keeping it up. Ever since I found this forum and the wonderful members in it, I have never been more determined to live a dream. 

[digit]

This forum is a tremendous (and ever-growing) source of all sorts of arcane fossil knowledge--the collective "hive mentality" of all the members here. In addition to a wealth of knowledge there is also the social aspect. I don't do "social media" which, in my humble opinion, is an addictive waste of time and actually far from truly social. TFF is my idea of a great internet social resource and one that will reap riches if properly mined. You'll notice the Maps link at the top of the page. This is a wonderful feature that is now back in this forum. With this geographical information you can find members in your area (there are 636 TFF members listed in the UK). When you find members in your neck of the woods, take a look and see what they've been posting (search their content). You might find you live relatively close to someone who has posted trip reports of great collecting missions or who has leads to where fossils may be found in your area. If you are traveling, look up TFF members who might be near where you are going. There is nothing like local knowledge to be able to add a fossil-hunting side trip to a holiday.

 

Abandon all hope as you're hooked now. Welcome to the addiction.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[thelivingdead531]

Thank you for the lead @digit. Even without using the maps, a couple of TFF members in my area have been so kind as to give me guidance and even try to arrange meet ups. I will definitely look more into the maps to see who is close to me. Is there a way to pinpoint my location on maps so others can find me as well? Sorry, I'm still new to it all. You've been a fountain of knowledge, thank you.

 

Thank you for the welcome, it's an addiction that I've been longing for. 

[ynot]

3 minutes ago, thelivingdead531 said:

a way to pinpoint my location on maps

It is done automatically from Your members location information. The more accurate that information is the more accurate Your "pin" on the map is. Your current location says "England" so Your "pin" is in the geographical center of England.

[JimB88]

Very nice start. You may consider small labels for some of them, adds a bit of info to go along with the fossils.

[digit]

19 minutes ago, thelivingdead531 said:

Is there a way to pinpoint my location on maps so others can find me as well?

I'm always wary about giving exact information online. Once your collection grows to epic proportions and rivals the Natural History Museum, you really don't want others knowing exactly where that treasure lies. You should however be able to go into your profile and specify a bit more precisely where you are. My location is set to my postal code (zip codes here across the pond). That provides enough detail for others in the area to know roughly where I am without an exact street address. You should be able to do something similar for your location. Modify it in your profile and then check your placement on the map to see where it thinks you are.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[thelivingdead531]

2 hours ago, ynot said:

It is done automatically from Your members location information. The more accurate that information is the more accurate Your "pin" on the map is. Your current location says "England" so Your "pin" is in the geographical center of England.

 

1 hour ago, digit said:

I'm always wary about giving exact information online. Once your collection grows to epic proportions and rivals the Natural History Museum, you really don't want others knowing exactly where that treasure lies. You should however be able to go into your profile and specify a bit more precisely where you are. My location is set to my postal code (zip codes here across the pond). That provides enough detail for others in the area to know roughly where I am without an exact street address. You should be able to do something similar for your location. Modify it in your profile and then check your placement on the map to see where it thinks you are.

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

Great, I will update that so it shows a more precise location. My finds will never rival a museum, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. 

 

2 hours ago, JimB88 said:

Very nice start. You may consider small labels for some of them, adds a bit of info to go along with the fossils.

 

That is my next step, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Macrophyseter]

Rather small, but beautiful collection. Keep it up! Maybe one day you should visit Dorset or Lyme Regis for some nice fossils you could find yourself?

[thelivingdead531]

@Macrophyseter Both of those locations are on my list. I would need them to be a weekend trip, as they are a little too far away to drive there, have a nice hunt, and drive back home. 

[Nimravis]

I started like you with a few fossils- that is not the case any longer. On a side note- my grandfather use to work at the Fossil Grove in Victoria Park, Glasgow.

[thelivingdead531]

@Nimravis That's awesome! I'm trying to plan a trip to Scotland soon, so it looks like I'll have to make that one of my stops. Thanks for sharing!

[Nimravis]

4 hours ago, thelivingdead531 said:

@Nimravis That's awesome! I'm trying to plan a trip to Scotland soon, so it looks like I'll have to make that one of my stops. Thanks for sharing!

That would be nice, I am the only member in my family that has never made it across the pond.

[thelivingdead531]

17 minutes ago, Nimravis said:

That would be nice, I am the only member in my family that has never made it across the pond.

 

It sounds like your family has a history here in the UK, if you get a chance to visit you should take the opportunity. This is an amazing place, I wish I could stay here forever. 

[Nimravis]

19 minutes ago, thelivingdead531 said:

 

It sounds like your family has a history here in the UK, if you get a chance to visit you should take the opportunity. This is an amazing place, I wish I could stay here forever. 

Yes we do- a very long history in Scotland and we recently discovered a book in which my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather (1700's) was the subject of the last half of it and a BBC movie was also made, but we never saw it 

[thelivingdead531]

@Nimravis That's amazing! If you know the name of the movie and don't mind sharing it, I would love to know about it.