My Favourite Fossil: Martin Simpson

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My name’s Martin Simpson, I’m a freelance fossil collector.

The first fossil I ever found was in Derbyshire, in the Blue John Mines in the limestone there, and it was a perfect fossil shell. I remember being really excited by this because it was the first one I found.

I took it to the local museum and the Professor said, “Well, this is quite a common species, questionably worth keeping,” and I was quite disappointed but I’ve still got it to this day, and here we are years later trying to find whole dinosaurs. So it doesn’t matter what it is, it’s that first thrill of finding something I think that sticks with you for the rest of your life.