Unprepped Fossils

‘Unprepped’ fossils are simply fossils sold as they were found – with none of the matrix or surrounding stone removed.

‘Preppers’ use tools – either hand tools, electric hammer tools, or air compressor driven tools to remove the stony matrix and show the fossil off better. Fossil preparation is an art form; carving the fossil out of the rock without damage or cracks can be very tricky.

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Unprepped or unprepared fossils are generally sold ‘as they were found’.

They can be easy or really quite difficult to prepare. Some can be done with as little as a pin and a brush, some will take specialised equipment; I’m certainly not an expert here.

I have prepared some fossils in soft matrix material using pins in a pin vice, but I know plenty of UK collectors who prepare pyritic fossils using air powered prepping pens and sand blasting equipment.

This isn’t something I have the equipment or space for, and in the event of purchasing any unprepared fossils they will likely end up in this category.