The 2009 edition of the Asheville Gem and Mineral show was held on June 19-21 at the Colburn Earth Science Museum. This show has a fantastic atmosphere, as the booths are set up within the museum and admission is free to the public. Last years edition reflected the economic woes that have been affecting all mineral shows nationwide. This years edition was not much different. Traffic was very light on Friday and Sunday mornings with the bulk of the traffic late in the days. This show is very strong in mineral dealer participation. Where many "gem and mineral" shows have 30-40% mineral dealers, this show is closer to 60%. There were a total of 9 dedicated mineral dealers. Show stalwart and miner extroadinair Brian Stephanic of Universal Rock Shop had flats of fresh Okaruso fluorites he had recently prepared. He also had time to schmooze with my wife, Heather, while I oggled his very fine twinned feldspar on smokey quartz from China . Leonard Himes and Mike Jacob from Minerals America brought out some previously unseen antique North Carolina specimens from the Philadelphia Museum. They had their usual selection of fine specimens, including an unusual beryl from Mt Mica , Paris Maine and a very special chrysoberyl from Madagascar. Greg Turner of Cornerstone Minerals from Asheville specializes in gem crystals, and his display did not dissapoint. . Shields and Francis Flynn of Trafford Flynn Minerals neighbored Gregs booth, and they managed to lure a thumbnail collector into buying a large lot of fine specimens. .Denny Lawing of Riviera Minerals had some very fine bright red vanadinites from the newer find as well as some excellent hematite ps magnetites. Max and Helene with malachite and Gems out of Rochester New York made their journey with loads of chatoyant malachite, stalagtites, carved malachites, dioptase and plancheite from the DRC. Doug Coulter of Geodite Minerals brought out his Namibian specimens, including the newer find of phlogopites on calcite, amethysts from Brandberg, quartz included with lepidichrocite and Erongo fluorites. I missed the name of the fellow working the Antreville SC amethyst claim but he had a killer smokey he had recently recovered as well as some specimens with multiple phantoms Finally, my booth had what was likely the buzz of the show. I was fortunate enough to come across a flat of Huanzala pink fluorites a month back (from the one time find twenty years ago that Rock Currier had the good fortune to buy up), and brought a dozen of the better ones to the show. Arvid Pasto came by and bought one, prior to his 3pm lecture on fluorites. The lecture was in the room behind my booth, and after it was over people streamed out and swarmed my booth to look at them, as Arvid had kindly told them "if you want a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy one do it now". Needless to say I sold all but two. I couldn't have paid for better advertising! All of these pictures were taken before the show opened, so don't take the lack of crowds to be indicative of the show. Sadly, there is conversation that the museum will be underfunded to the point where the show may not go on next year. Let's hope for a strong positive uptick as the stimulus takes hold.

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