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GeneralBuying vs Finding

25th Oct 2014 00:33 UTCAnonymous User

Hey

Don't know if this has come up before but what are peoples opinions on buying minerals vs going out and finding them yourselves? Do you prefer to pay top dollar for that heaven sent specimen? Or are you more prone to the feeling of joy you get when you look for that new piece for your collection?

25th Oct 2014 02:00 UTCKeith A. Peregrine

Personally, it's both. My preference is to find a specimen, whether it be great or so-so. However, I will add to my collection with purchases. Reason: It may not be possible to collect said material because the source is closed; it may take considerable time to search for good specimens; and finally, there's only so many places I can afford to visit.

It's really a personal preference.

Cheers,

Keith

25th Oct 2014 02:09 UTCAnonymous User

I personally am more of a finder. I do make exceptions for example I have a piece of Cinnabar that is crystallized from China. As far as I know it is the only place in the world where Cinnabar occurs in such manner. Since the likely hood of me visiting china, particularly that locality is slim to nill, it was a purchase I felt had to make.

25th Oct 2014 02:50 UTCAlex Earl 🌟 Expert

I personally love going out collecting, I have found some pretty awesome things while I am out in the field. Personally collected specimens have memories attatched as well, so they are worth more to the collector. I would have to say though, as I live in Utah, I have to purchase certain things because I don't think I will be going to China, Europe, Africa, or any other places around the world for a long time, maybe never, so sometimes buying is a necessity. Although sometimes even if I am close enough to the locality, I will sometimes purchase a specimen that is beyond beautiful, and there are slim chances of me finding it myself.

I would have to agree, it is more of a preference, some people have an all personally collected collection, or they have a collection where all specimens are purchased with no personally collected specimens.

25th Oct 2014 03:08 UTCAnonymous User

Well the reason I proposed this thread is to gauge people's interest. I am considering selling off 95 percent of my non collected specimens for two reasons. Some of them were sold to me without localities attached and the COD in me won't let my collection be scientifically lacking, and two I have a fondness of going out and finding my own specimens even if they aren't as spectacular. Again there about 5 exceptions to this.

25th Oct 2014 05:35 UTCsteven garza

Dear Tirrell;

Some very good point have been made, for both type specimens; however, as a collector - prospector - dealer, I have both, for several reasons; added, I wish to explain why, sometimes, a non-specific locality is the ONLY thing you'll EVER get, for some specimens, &, may be a necessary evil for you, if you truly wish certain specimens.

!st, my reasons for having both:

A) As others have mentioned, because you aren't likely to ever go to the locations, for distance, accessibility, cost, lack of permission, or site no longer exists.

B) the specimen/site/original collector, has a history, either mineralogically or personal connection (a friend's trade/gift/sales).

C) Need a comparison sample/bedding identifier/deposition type identifier for when I do visit the site; I have often used such samples, to guide my prospecting, usually finding what many others have failed to find.

Now, my reasons for obtaining specimens with poorly/deliberately obtuse locations on the labels:

A) If I can get to the general location, I like the challenge of, without much info, finding the locality, using my skills, alone; but, getting to that general location is the vital 1st step.

B) If a specimen is good enough, for various reasons, I'm willing to buy such pieces, so I may, later, find the location, simply by eventually running into another piece, at a show; I've had MANY "finds of a lifetime", do so & have never regretted this practice. This is one o the reasons my knowledge base about many specimen types & locations is so broad.

Finally, the main reason I a many other dealers are deliberately obscure on their labels, &, why you'll never get more than what's on that label:

Plain & simple - secrecy! All to often, a person will make a find, at a location that's VERY small & extremely unique, to the surrounding environment, that giving the exact location means the QUICK overcollecting & death of that locality. Heavy collecting can also mean the end of ALL collecting, by the land owner/quarry manager. Also, it may be in a locality that other have passed, FREQUENTLY, & you were the only one observant enough to make your find; giving an exact location means unwanted competition, for your own find! Yes, that info is extremely desired, but, sometimes, it just can't be given. Example: I may 7 locations in New England for matrix gold & 5 for silver, all minable, which I'm likely to take to my grave, before posting them on this forum; same with many other mineral finds, nearly everywhere I've ever collected, that remain unique/unknown to others. Until I KNOW my time is short, they just will be talked about, VERY non-descriptly; when that time comes, if I've no one to pass that info to who I want to know this info, THEN, I will post it.

Your friend, Steve

25th Oct 2014 06:21 UTCAnonymous User

Steve,

You make excellent counter points, particularly the last point about collectors/dealers keeping their spot a secret. I can definately respect that and I have made a few exceptions, but other specimens that I have purchased, either in bulk or individually, just aren't considered rare enough or appealing enough to keep. The majority of the specimens outside of the 4-5 exceptions are species that can be found by driving half a day or so.

The exceptions:

-Realgar from Eastern Europe (still working on pinpointing an exact location)

-Cinnabar from Western China

-Ruby from Pakistan (honestly it's being kept because I'll never visit Pakistan, not because it's particularly impressive)

-Diamond from South Africa

The rest are more or less common, albeit nice specimens. But I just feel I'd rather collect those species myself. The most exciting thing to me is showing up to a location, digging away and finding that one piece that just blows your mind. Thank you for your feedback!

25th Oct 2014 08:09 UTCKyle Beucke 🌟

I am pretty much only interested in finding my own stuff. For me, it is all about the context: local geology, mining history, landscape. I like large, matrix-rich ore specimens that tell a story of the host rock as well as the mineralization. A bought specimen is out of context, has no memories attached to it. I am most interested in localities somewhat nearby (few hours away) that I have the chance to visit more than once.

Kyle

25th Oct 2014 09:30 UTCJason Bennett

I'm the same, I prefer to collect my own, and avoid buying things that I could do so one day. Exceptions being things collected by friends, even though I didn't collect it, but because my friend did it makes it more special.

It's a sad world where greed takes over and site have to be kept secret, but I agree, a necessary evil to at least preserve the locality for others in the future.

Jolyon/Steven - Perhaps we need MinWILL to leave behind these legacies :P

Jason

25th Oct 2014 13:21 UTCEd Clopton 🌟 Expert

Something I enjoy in a small way is acquiring old "pedigreed" specimens. I can't afford the really important, sought-after historical pieces, but I enjoy taking custody of neat old specimens that have resided in collections of one sort or another for generations and preserving them and their provenance for future collectors. In some cases the labels are more interesting than the specimens themselves, as is the case with this staggeringly uninteresting chunk of galena deaccesioned from the U. of Chicago ore collection by way of a dealer:

I enjoy field collecting, too, but specimens with long collector histories have to be purchased or otherwise acquired rather than field-collected.

25th Oct 2014 13:41 UTCDavid Baldwin

I too much prefer finding my own specimens, and to me, the main enjoyment comes from discovering specimens which, as far as can be determined, aren't known from the site in question. I collect mainly in a coastal location, at a locality made world famous by the fossils found there, and as far as I know, the minerals are just simply overlooked. What this locality lacks in species, is made up for by the sheer amount of variation in morphology, particularly of calcite.

I also agree with keeping certain information a secret, such as specific types of rocks where I find specimens or exact locations of mineral bearing faults, but they are still there for all to see and discover for themselves. It takes a long time to learn to recognise features which may indicate potential finds, and if you've taken the time and made the effort to learn, then good for you. At the end of the day, there's nothing stopping anyone else doing the same and discovering exactly the same locations as you have. I think the fact that individuals can have their own 'secret' locations is a good thing and no, the information shouldn't be shared, ever, even as a legacy. Let others discover them for themselves, that's all part of the fun.

25th Oct 2014 14:14 UTCHomerbre

There is a small adit in Paradise Valley, north of Winnemucca, Nevada, that has dolomite with cinnabar exactly like the specimens from China. I never went inside, but I scrounged the slopes below the adit several times. Found lots of cinnabar crystals, but broke most of them because I didn't have the brains and/or patience to take the rocks home for more careful trimming later.

25th Oct 2014 15:47 UTCBob Harman

The discussions on this thread seems to be about apples and oranges. Here in Indiana if you want APPLES, you can go out and collect them; if you want ORANGES you must buy them. Clearly the same with minerals. If you collect Indiana minerals you can go out and field collect them, ever aspiring to find one or several "great specimens". If you want to collect much else, like Indian zeolites etc etc etc you will have to buy them or have precious verrrrry small collections.

As written this thread should be better discussed as something like "Is your collection focused to what you can self collect or is it non-focused or a general collection where you have to acquire examples by purchase or trade" Then, to me, the thread might be of more interest. CHEERS…..BOB

25th Oct 2014 21:04 UTCAnonymous User

Bob,

In retrospect that would've been the better topic, but I don't post often and I was just gauging everyone's thoughts and opinions. I guess I should say the majority of my collection is self collection.

Tirrell

25th Oct 2014 21:19 UTCEd Clopton 🌟 Expert

Sorry to weigh in for a second time. At first I wanted an entirely self-collected collection, but I quickly learned what Bob Harmon pointed out, that it would be an all-apple collection, and I wanted oranges, pomegranates, kumquats, etc. as well. The bottom line for me is that I enjoy having neat rocks to enjoy myself and to enjoy sharing with others, and whether I dig them myself with a steel pick or acquire them from dealers with the silver pick is secondary.

25th Oct 2014 22:08 UTCJohn Wilda (2)

I prefer self-collected. HOWEVER, my specialty is Mont St. Hilaire and it is no longer available to collectors so purchase is my only option. I still love collecting other locations.

26th Oct 2014 01:43 UTCDennis McCoy

I live in an area where there is no rock other than pea gravel and sand. My job and other responsibilities keep me from traveling to the areas within 4-5 hours where I could find anything interesting. For this reason, my entire collection is purchased.

26th Oct 2014 07:13 UTCRock Currier Expert

To buy or collect your specimens depends on the abilities, circumstances and predilections of the the individual. To get started as a field collector you really need to be led into it by someone who knows how to do that and to have the experience early on of being able to collect some really good stuff. Without this being led by the hand thing, the chances of becoming a serious field collector are small. Once infected however it is hard to give up because it is so addictive. With out doing this type of mineral collecting minerals becomes a bit like collecting stamps or coins or antiques because you sort of miss out on the geology and to some extent, the mineralogy. I started out as a field collector, but soon found out that I could usually get better specimens by buying them from miners and other sources. For years I bounced back and fourth and later I would sneak off and do field collecting though I found myself continually being drawn back the silver pick. Now, being in my mid 70 I can't physically do what serious field collecting demands. Moving all the rock you have to move to get good specimens is usually not cost effective, and not nearly as satisfying as digging into a fine jewel box of a pocket of crystallized minerals. But with the silver pick you can usually get more and better specimens than you can by field collecting.

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