The Place that Started my Hobby - Fossil Collecting
I admit that fossil collecting is a hobby that most regard as pretty unusual and some even regard it as stepping into the weird category. Sure it is weird, but weird is good. Fossil collecting has not only helped me to refuel my passion for paleontology (the study of prehistoric past) but has also helped me to learn and keep up to date with the constantly updated paleontology field, which, I thought was a dead field and information was rather stagnant. Imagine my surprise when I re-entered this world during fossil collecting and the information that flooded my way! Throwback to the day that re-fueled my hobby for fossil collecting, we would have to travel back about 1 and a half years ago. That was when I first stepped into a museum with proper mounted real fossil specimens of dinosaurs! *Cue the Jurassic park theme song*
The sight of the 3 diplodocus and their massive size awed me and re-captivated my sense of excitement for dinosaurs and the likes of it. Truth be told, I have always been a fan of dinosaurs ever since I last saw the first Jurassic Park movie (like with other people my age). However, that fascination lasted more than just a while. That fascination lasted with me all the way to primary 5 where I think I started losing interest in them for the sake of my studies (not that it did me any good). So here I am, 1 and a half years later, renewing my annual membership with the Lee Kong Chian Museum of Natural History. This way, I'll be able to visit the 3 diplodocus and the natural history exhibits more often now. Especially so when there is a direct bus that goes from my school. Hello museum, it is my possible haunt now after school!
What really made me go into fossil collecting was the vast array of small fossils that were scattered throughout the museum. A thought sprang into my mind, "What if I could collect these fossil myself too?" and that, prompted me to search Google and I found none other than the article that prompted Calvin Chu, one of Singapore Fossil collectors club most prominent collector and administrator.
Calvin and his collection of roughly 1000 fossil specimens. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Impressive collections like those prompted me to ask myself, "It can't be that hard can it?". And, that is how I landed myself in this inescapable tar pit of doom. My pockets hurt, but, my heart is happy. When people ask me, "what do you find in buying rocks?" For one, these are not just rocks, they are rocks with a story. A story of the past and information that we might not even know yet. Also, there is the surge of happiness that runs through my veins whenever I purchase a fantastic specimen. That is probably what drives me in this journey of fossil collecting.
A coleocanth fossil at the LKCNHM Singapore
A fish fossil at the LKCNHM Singapore
A pair of sea scorpion fossil at the LKCNHM Singapore
A trilobite fossil (Asaphus punctucus) at the LKCNHM Singapore
A trident trilobite fossil at the LKCNHM Singapore
A trilobite fossil (Harpes) at the LKCNHM Singapore
Original skull in matrix of Apollonia the second largest Diplodocus at the LKCNHM Singapore
Looking back at my journey, I have sure made a lot of friends who are like-minded. Made my presence pretty much known on the fossil platform in Instagram with 600+ followers as well as established my Carousell and online shop where I try to make fossils more readily available to people and spread the love for fossils. After all, I know first hand what it is like to own that unique piece of fossil. Actually, every piece of fossil is unique in its own way. In its right, it has overcome all odd over millions of years and survived catastrophes and degradation to make it to what it is today. In that sense, each and every fossil specimen is special and had its own journey through geologic time. Only you will know the past and future of that specimen...if, you get one for yourself!
