How to build a Mineral Collection

Many of our customers, particularly those that are just beginning their foray into the mineral world, have often asked us what is the best way to build a collection, and what constitutes a good specimen?

There are many reasons that people get into Mineral Collecting. Some people are born with the ‘collecting gene’ and have the desire to put together a collection. Others love the science behind the minerals – their chemistry, mineralogy, the geological settings that they form in, the mineral associations that form together. Others love the thrill of the hunt – the challenge to find the perfect mineral  - mineral species, location, size, colour, aesthetics, price – finding the one specimen that combines all these factors exactly right. And others collect minerals purely because they think they are beautiful, and are entranced by the colours, the forms, the combinations that Mother Nature has produced. But what ever the reason, all collectors have one thing in common - they are passionate about the minerals they collect.

So what constitutes a good specimen?
In mineral collecting this question is often difficult to answer.  There are so many factors that contribute to what makes up a good specimen it is difficult to get two people in agreement as to which is the finest example of a given specimen. Some of the factors are objective, in that they can be measured, and some are subjective, and therefore are determined by the eye of the beholder. When purchasing a specimen for your collection, however, the most important thing to remember is that you – the collector – should really like the specimen, regardless of other opinions. By building your collection mineral by mineral, you are creating something that you can look at every day and get great enjoyment out of!

This next section discusses some of the factors that influence collectors on determining what constitutes as good specimen. This section is aimed towards the beginner collector.

WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD SPECIMEN?

In the following discussion, unless otherwise noted, the mineral specimens referred to are all well crystallized (ie have good crystal form).  Some minerals only occur in massive form which may be more of interest to species collectors and researchers, who are less interested in aesthetics in favor of chemistry; whilst mineral collectors look for the beauty and form of the specimen, and well formed crystals are of paramount importance.

In other collectible areas; i.e. coins, stamps, etc., a collector can gather almost up to the minute information as to quality, prices, provenance, etc. through various Institutions such as the Gemological and the Philatelic Societies. Objective description of a gem or coin can be given so the collector than has “something to go on”.  In minerals there is no such agency. The collector has to use their best judgment to make the decision.  Some of the criteria that collectors use are:

1. Size
2. Color
3. Luster and transparency
4. Damage, repairs and reconstruction
5. Rarity of the species
6. Associated minerals
7. Locality

Most of the above criteria are objective, in that they can be established to the satisfaction of the collector.  These same criteria can apply to many other types of collectibles.  However, the following two criteria below are somewhat more subjective but often have a direct bearing on the desirability and hence the price of a specimen.

1. Aesthetics
2. History and Provenance

When discussing  size we must make a distinction between the size of the specimen and size of the individual crystals on a specimen. Many collectors tend to collect specimens of a certain size. In some cases the lack of funds will determine what size a collector prefers. But others just like smaller specimens for there perfection of crystal form .  It is much easier to find perfection in smaller specimens than it is in  larger ones.  Still other collectors like larger specimens where only a few specimens will fill a large wall case.

It has been agreed upon within the minerals collecting community that people who collect minerals that can only be appreciated using magnification are generally referred to a 'Micromounter'. Micromounters usually mount their specimens in small well labelled boxes that can easily be stored in a small space. The various categories of mineral sizes are as follows:

1. Micromounts - when mounted will fit into a box somewhat less than 2.5 cm or one inch.            
2. Thumbnails - Specimens which are no larger than 2.5 x 2.5 cm or 1 x 1 inch.
3. Miniatures -  Specimen which are no larger than 5 x 5 cm or 2 x 2 inches.
4. Hand specimens (or Small Cabinet) - Specimens which fill the hand.
5. Cabinet specimens - Specimens which are larger than hand specimens.
6. Museum specimens - The line between cabinet specimens and museum specimens is quite arbitrary. Modern museums today tend to acquire smaller specimens (hand and cabinet) whereas older museums, especially European museums, feel that big is better.

Some collectors feel that a display of specimens of a uniform size is pleasing to the eye while other don’t care about size as long as it is a good specimen. Another factor which should be considered in selecting a size is that a thumbnail collector can have two or three thousand different species in his collection, whereas a collector of cabinet specimen is limited to probably less than a half that number without duplicating species.  Many minerals just do not occur in large well crystallized specimens.

The true mineral collectors wanting to build a large comprehensive collection may elect to acquire every mineral, or the best he can afford in any size. What should be far more important to the collector is not the overall size of the specimen but the size and perfection of the crystals.  A large specimen with small crystals does not make a good specimen, especially if the mineral is available in a smaller specimen with larger crystals. Crystal size is important if they are well formed, colourful and undamaged. Apart from the various size categories outlined above the ideal good specimen should be on matrix, have good size crystals, good colour and lustre, and most of all be a fine example of that mineral.

Mineral collectors, especially new collectors tend to be attracted by specimens which are brightly coloured and certainly the range of vivid colours in minerals is extraordinary. There is an attraction to metallic minerals  such as gold, silver, copper, platinum, pyrite, etc. Often the combination of colours makes a specimen more desirable than another in which there is no colour contrast. A good example would be the brilliant green of Dioptase crystals against the snowy white background of Dolomite in specimens found at Tsumeb, Namibia. Certain colours in minerals are somewhat rare such as intense yellow and to a certain extent intense red, hence specimens which are bright red or yellow often command higher prices than ones with more common muted colours. Other colours like blues, greens and metallics tend to be more common but are no less desirable.  Black and white minerals are of course the most common of all the colours and in many cases are less desirable to collectors, but yet again, there are many exceptions in collecting. If one sees a collection of rare minerals, even a great one, the specimens will tend to be dark and predominantly black.

Apart from colour, luster and transparency are very important to both the new collector and advanced collectors alike. A black mineral without lustre is much less desirable than one with high lustre. Lustre and transparency are especially important if one collects gem minerals; i.e. Topaz, Tourmaline, Garnets, etc.  Without lustre and some degree of transparency gem crystals are less desirable.  In collecting gem crystals it is often the case that a crystal is worth more cut into gems than it is worth as a specimen.  This is especially true in Diamonds.  A 20 carat intense clean yellow diamond crystal is likely going to be cut into gems rather than offered as a specimen. Collectors of the crystals are then faced with the potential gem value which increases the price considerably. Because of the nature in which they form, gem crystals are often repaired.

Sometimes mineral specimens get damaged either before the specimen was removed from the mother rock or as a result of later mishandling.   This is especially true of older specimens.   Some specimens, especially those found in European museums and older collections, were collected in the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.  At the time they were found they were thought to have little if any value unless it was a mineral of some intrinsic value, such as Gold or recognisable gem minerals.  Often crystallized minerals were just curiosities a miner might bring home from the mine and put on his mantel.   Beginning in the nineteenth century the “upper crust” of Europe discovered minerals and other natural objects to be collectible and the famous “cabinets of curiosities” came into being.  At about the same time, the museums of the world began to add significantly to their collections.

Whenever possible damaged specimens should be avoided.  But what degree of damage is acceptable? If one runs his fingernail along the edge of almost any gem crystal little nicks and small chips can be easily detected. Does that make that specimen undesirable?  Probably not.  In many case the degree of damage to a given specimen is a decision to be make by the individual collector. A damage-free specimen with lesser colour and aesthetics may not be as desirable as a more attractive piece with minor damage.

Repairs must also be considered when purchasing a minerals specimen. Repairs include when a specimen has been damaged or broken and crystals may have been glued back on. Repairs certainly do not do a specimen any good but some specimens, acknowledged to be the world’s finest example of a given mineral, are  repaired, so are still of high value.  Similarly to the repair of a rare antique porcelain vase the individual collector has to decide how much repair is acceptable. Quality of the repair is also important, some repairs may not be visible except with a loupe.

Reconstruction is another matter.  Specimens with a portion of the crystal or even the matrix missing can be filled in with some suitable agent that mimics the colour and texture of the missing rock or crystal.  This is obviously less desirable than just a simple tight repair where no material is missing.

A repaired or reconstructed specimen should be noted by the seller and reflected in the price.

This is one of the more important criteria when collecting minerals, as some minerals are so rare that the collector is willing to overlook many of the factors outlined above and still buy the specimen. Large undamaged crystals of a very rare mineral, regardless of whether it is colourful or not, will command a high value.

At first glance this would not appear to be important but it can be one of the most important factors in selecting a mineral specimen.  For example if a single Fluorite crystal without matrix is considered to be a good specimen in its own right, if it has instead formed on a clear Quartz crystal in an aesthetic fashion the combination adds considerably to the value of the specimen.  Two common minerals put together in a well balanced specimen can make a great difference in both the desirability and the price. Mineral associations also bring together some beautiful colour combinations - would Amazonite crystals from Colorado look as good if they were not combined with dark smoky Quartz crystals? Or bright green Dioptase crystals from Tsumeb highlighted against their white Dolomite background?

Locality, like size, plays an important  part in a collection. Recently there seems to be a growing number of collectors who specialise in collecting specimens from one geographical area, i.e. Cornwall UK, Arizona USA, New England, Germany, etc. Collectors may chose a location because it has significance for them - childhood holidays spent the location, or they may like the specimens that come from the area.

Specialisation in one area permits a collector to have a focus in their collection, aiming search for important specimens from that area of interest. Often such collectors can not only recognise exactly which mine the specimen came from, but also the level or pocket in the mine! It is always more desirable in collecting to know the exact locality of a specimen, more than just Arizona or Germany.

Of all the criteria that might be used in selecting a specimen, this is by far the most subjective. Some collectors can walk into a mineral show or a dealer’s booth and pick out the most desirable specimens in the room.  Others will just look at the most expensive specimens and assume they must be the most desirable. Do not equate desirability with price - price is not always the best guide. A remarkable number of good specimens are not necessarily expensive. Having an eye for the aesthetics of a specimen involves so many factors that it is virtually impossible to list all of them..  Knowing what colours or combination of colours are pleasing to the eye is important. A good specimen should have a balance in its form - the crystals, if on matrix, want to be positioned to enhance the overall beauty of the specimen. This criteria does come back to 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and it is important here to chose specimens that you find aesthetically pleasing to your eye.

Previous ownership and history of a specimen will usually add to its desirability. Specimens traded from the great museums such as the Smithsonian Institution, the British Museum of Natural History, etc. are always desirable because of the accompanying label. Specimens owned by famous people tend to receive more attention than those owned by the “everyday man”.  Even specimens owned by notoriously bad scoundrels find a market. Specimens with early mineral dealer labels, especially European and early American dealers tend to be of great interest from a historical aspect.  There is even a segment of collectors who collect only these historic labels!
As a collector it is then very important to document and catalogue your specimens as you acquire them for your collection, and to do this as early as possible with as much information as can be gathered about each specimen, rather than relying on memory - who knows maybe one day your own collection with be famous and people with collect them for your labels!

We hope that you have found this article to be of some help, and that more importantly as you build your own collection you will get much joy from it.