Franklin Collections, Etc

Who is considered to have the finest(not most comprehensive,necessarily) current collection of Franklin minerals?

As an aside, how is LH Conklin's private collection rated?


TTFN

As an aside, I'm new here and was wondering were the most valuable collection is? I was just wondering, you know, not that I wanted an address or anything, but if you could help me that would be awesome......DUH, want my home addy and SS # also?

I would think that the best collections would be in the museums, Franklin, Sterling Hill, Smithsonian, etc. While I belive my collection is good, I am sure it can't possibly be as complete as any museums. The Smithsonian would always have the most valuable and complete, while private collectors might not want to publicise what they have on this forum. I also know of no rating system to judge a personal collection by.

There's also a very nice display of specimens from New Jersey in the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum in Marion, Kentucky. Although the museum houses one of the finest, if not the best, fluorite collection in the world....it also features a great room full of flourescent minerals.

Ben Clement was a mine owner in Marion, and throughout his lifetime he saved an incredible collection of minerals from that area, which now is on public display in Kentucky. He was also fascinated with the material that came out of Franklin and Sterling Hills in New Jersey....so he swapped some of his flourite for it...and the specimens he amassed are now on display in Marion.

If you are ever in the western part of Kentucky, this little museum is well worth visiting. And, you can arrange to collect some of your own fluorite at old mine sites. They also sponsor nighttime fluorescent digs from time to time.