Fossil Collecting/Introduction

Collecting fossilized shark's teeth is an easy way to begin collecting fossils. They are often found in abundance on public beaches. The teeth shown here were collected in Castle Hain, North Carolina, and are from the Eocene and Cretaceous divisions.

Fossil collecting can be a very relaxing, rewarding, and educational hobby.

Fossil collecting can involve indoor and outdoor activity. It can be pursued casually or intensely depending on your goals. There are few rules (beyond legal and ethical concerns), so you can pretty much make them up as you go along. You can even collect fossils simply through photographs or postage stamps. Some collectors simply collect "locations", by travelling to places where fossils have been found. These collectors may never touch a rock!

Fossil collecting can be done as a group activity, either as a group of friends or as part of a club, or it can be done as a solo venture.

Fossils can be found in many places around the world, and traveling to collecting locations can involve local or distant travel. Some fossils can be found strewn around on top of the ground, some require more radical excavation.

Learning about geology, biology, and the history of Earth is part of the hobby, and you can become as involved with that as you wish.