Fossil & Mineral Collection App
Vitrine is a fossil and mineral collection app for geological collectors. Catalog fossils, minerals, crystals, and meteorites. Record locality, formation, acquisition details, and current value. Build a public showcase or keep it private. Free to start.
Why fossil and mineral collectors choose Vitrine
Locality and provenance data gets separated from specimens
A fossil's scientific and commercial value depends heavily on where it was found. Vitrine keeps locality, formation, and acquisition details permanently attached to each specimen — not on a paper label that can go missing.
Large collections are hard to search by hand
Finding a specific ammonite from the Jurassic of Dorset in boxes of specimens is slow. Vitrine lets you search and filter your collection by any field in seconds.
No public way to share your collection
Geological societies and fellow collectors want to see what you have. Vitrine gives you a clean public collection page you can share with a link.
Features for fossil and mineral collectors
Locality and formation records
Record locality, country, formation, geological period, and acquisition source. The most important fields for any scientific collection.
Identification and classification
Record genus, species, common name, and any identification notes. Useful for collections that span palaeontology and mineralogy.
Condition and dimensions
Log specimen dimensions, matrix condition, and any restoration or preparation notes.
Value tracking
Record purchase price and estimated current value. Useful for insurance and estate documentation.
Photo storage
Attach multiple photos per specimen from different angles. Essential for documentation and identification.
Public collection page
Share your collection with geological societies, dealers, and fellow collectors.
How to catalog your specimens with Vitrine
- 1
Create a free account
Sign up at vitrinecms.com. No credit card required. Up to 100 specimens on the free plan.
- 2
Add your specimens
Enter each specimen with name, locality, formation, geological period, condition, and estimated value. Record identification notes and acquisition source.
- 3
Attach photos
Photograph each specimen from multiple angles and attach the images. Include scale bars where useful.
- 4
Share your collection
Make selected items public and share the link with geological societies, show organisers, or other collectors.
Vitrine vs other specimens tools
| Tool | Limitation |
|---|---|
| Vitrine | Web-based, free to start, full cataloguing with public collection page |
| Mindat.org | A mineral database and locality reference, not a personal collection manager. No way to track what you personally own. |
| Paleobiology Database | A scientific reference database, not a tool for cataloguing a personal collection. |
| Google Sheets | Manual, no photo storage, and difficult to share with other collectors in a clean format. |
Pricing for fossil and mineral collectors
Community — Free. Up to 100 items, public collection page, core cataloguing.
Hobbyist — £5/month. Up to 1,000 items, collection analytics, CSV import, wanted list, and 100 MB document storage.
Professional — £79/month. Up to 5,000 items, full dashboard, visitor analytics, event ticketing, compliance tools, staff accounts, and 1 GB document storage.
Frequently asked questions
Can I catalog both fossils and minerals in the same collection?
Yes. Vitrine places no restrictions on what you catalog. Use the category field to separate fossils, minerals, crystals, and meteorites within the same account.
How do I record locality information?
Use the acquisition and notes fields to record locality, quarry or site name, formation, geological period, and how you acquired the specimen. This information stays permanently attached to the record.
Can I record the dimensions of specimens?
Yes. Use the notes or description fields to record dimensions, matrix size, and any preparation details. There are no restrictions on what information you can capture.
Is Vitrine useful for a dealer or a personal collector?
Vitrine is designed for personal and institutional collections, not for marketplace listings. It works well for serious private collectors, geological societies, and small museum collections.
Can I share specimens with a geological society or club?
Yes. Make selected specimens public on your collection page and share the link. Members can view your collection without needing a Vitrine account.
Start cataloguing your specimens
Free to start. No credit card required. Your collection stays private until you choose to share it.
Create your free account →