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Mineral ShowsSO WHAT IS THE TRUE 2013 TUCSON STORY?
19th Feb 2013 20:00 UTCBob Harman
Firstly, the weather, like the last several years was changeable and not the best. Both last year and this year there were several very cold nights and chilly days with a bit of rain. While this is to be expected in February, several nights in both years were unusually cold, even by Southern Arizona standards. But the majority of the days were nice, especially by Northern standards. Then there was the flu. This is a meeting of many folks from all over the globe. Lots of hand shaking and touchy feely stuff etc.etc. The upshot, according to my friends, was lots of colds and flu like illnesses during the 2 week show period. They too were affected, but not laid low to any great degree.
On to the shows themselves. The friend's impressions were that the crowds this year were significantly down from past years. The years that I was there the crowds were good but also in decline, probably due to the mediocre economy. So according to my friends, this year was no exception with less attendance than even last year. I suppose main show attendance figures might be available from the TGMS show committee. Those attending the show seem, primarily to be the same several hundred or so high end collectors and dealers who follow each other from show to show schmoozing with each other as at a social event. They buy a few high end pieces to make most of all the high end dealers satisfied, but many of the other dealers, according to my friends, complained about the lack of buyers and low attendance. The exhibits were, as usual fabulous, but new specimens were largely from China and other obscure areas and quite pricey, perhaps turning off many attendees of moderate means.
So these are some impressions relayed to me just this day. Anyone else out there attend the show and have thoughts??
20th Feb 2013 01:22 UTCWaterDog
I've been to the hotel shows most of the past twenty years, focusing on the mineral and fossil dealers. This year I visited the Westward Look, Inn Suites, Pueblo, Days Inn, Electric Park, and gas station shows. This is the first time I've made it out to the Westward Look show though I remember many of the dealers from the Executive Inn. I haven't made it to GJX in several years.
My thoughts: Across the board, across all quality levels, prices are insane and likely unsustainable. A ten fold increase in prices at the high end and a five fold or more increase in mid-range quality specimens over the last decade are my impression. My wife and I used to joke that we didn't really need a car but could be happy with "that" specimen. Now "that" specimen costs more than the house and the cars combined. Some of the increase is likely due to the devaluation of the dollar in the global market but I can't help but think that mineral specimens are modern day tulips.
Fewer thumbnail and micromount dealers than I recall from years past.
Fossils prices have held steady or risen with general inflation. The quality of fossil preparation is better than ever. This year, there seemed to be a pullback at the higher end with fewer spectacular specimens being offered. I didn't make it to the Ramada so I may have missed something there.
Those are my impressions of the show this year.
20th Feb 2013 03:36 UTCMark & Linda Mahlum
It seemed that prices were higher and that high end specimens had increased in both quantity and quality.
20th Feb 2013 04:01 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager
Contradiction alert: Show reporters often comment on the allegedly skyrocketing prices of minerals. Others sadly comment that there is declining interest in minerals and fewer collectors than in the good old days. Sometimes it's the same reporter making both of those comments! Don't they realize that by the most elementary laws of economics those two ideas cannot be both true at the same time?
Well, this illusion (and that's what it is, just an illusion) has a very long history... Two centuries ago the famous German writer Goethe (after whom goethite is named) complained that dealers were killing mineralogy by charging too high prices for specimens! There is truly nothing new under the sun. :)-D
20th Feb 2013 04:36 UTCMalcolm Southwood 🌟 Expert
I'm a great believer in market forces; dealers who are charging "too much" will make no sales and go out of business. And don't forget that most high-end and mid-market transactions occur at a discount to the ticket price anyway.
Having just spent 11 days in Tucson - I'm writing this in the departure lounge at LAX on my way back to Oz - my impression of "the show" was a very positive one. Socially, it's a wonderful event, and a great opportunity to catch up with a lot of like-minded folk. Mineralogically, I found plenty to keep me interested, and I've added some nice new things to the collection. Most of the dealers i spoke with said that they'd had a pretty good show.
As a Tsumeb collector, one thing I have noticed is that there is more mid-market and high-end material available than, say, five years ago. I'm inclined to attribute this to a combination of demographics - collections being released by elderly persons or deceased estates - and the continuing economic difficulties, especially in Europe. I think this will be a temporary situation.
While I have some sympathy with the view that kids today prefer video games - certainly true of my kids - I think people have always tended to join our hobby somewhat later in life anyway, and I certainly don't think that mineralogy is dying or that it is in danger of doing so.
Lets hope I'm right!
Mal
20th Feb 2013 18:16 UTCBrent Thorne Expert
On Friday I attended the micromount symposium. The talks were good and the symposium was well attended. After the talks, the micromount group had several tables with free specimens and several microscopes to look at the specimens. There are also several people who are trading and selling specimens. There was a European couple there with their three kids. The entire family was engaged in looking through the specimens on the give-away tables and then bringing the specimens over to the microscopes so that every one in the family could look at the specimens and choose which ones they wanted to keep. In the past I have had the opportunity to attend the show in Munich. It seems that the Munich show is very much a family affair. I think that the European community is much more interested in keeping the the hobby alive by educating and encourageing their children. If mineral collecting, as a hobby, is to remain viable, it is the responsibilty of parents and teachers to get children interested. There are too many distractions for kids nowdays and it is going to take a concerted effort to get them interested in the out-doors and nature.
My interests in minerals is quite specific and narrow and I seldom purchase specimens at the main show. This time however, I was able to get a few things that were of interest to me. I guess the best specimen was a $3 thumbnail of hessite from Botes, Transylvania. Yes, the hessite is covered with chorargyrite and iron oxide stain, but the hessite is crystalized and very typical for the locality. It was found by going through every flat of thumbnails in the back of dealers booth. The other interesting purchase was a specimen labeled unknown blue from Kalahari, South Africa for $10. After looking at it under the microscope I am sure that it is a mineral from the wesselsite, effenbergerite group of minerals. The same dealer also had two flats of Tsumeb thumbnails from a old collection. Many of the specimens were of the more common species found at tsumeb, but several specimens had the original labels with the level in the mine where the specimen was found and the the date that it was found. I was able to find a single tennantite crystal completely covered with tsumcorite crystals. This specimen was a little more pricey at $18.
So in conclusion, the Tucson show is a worth while show to attend if only to see the greatest compilation of minerals, fossils, and gemstones concentrated in one place. The dealers make every effort to display their specimens in a way to show that attributes of each individual specimen. Many of the cases are better than cases that you would see in museums and so are the specimens. Don't look at the prices, just enjoy the specimens and feel fortunate that you were able to see it before it goes into a private collection where you will likely never see it again,.
Brent
20th Feb 2013 23:13 UTCGreg Toomey
A couple of years ago, some of the Westward Look dealers had added less expensive minerals displayed separately from their usual expensive minerals - was it the economy, a response to criticism of being elitist or to accommodate an ever-increasing and diverse populace to their rooms?
This year, I went back to a longtime dealer who had some very nice specimens that I saw last year, but could not afford after I had already spent last year's budget. The specimens (same as before, from an abundant source and not from China) he had in 2013 were over twice as much as before - and no I didn't buy any. On the other hand, a dealer I always go to had pieces that seemed less expensive than last year, and the quality was better. Variances abound, and I gave up trying to figure out the mineral collecting trends and it's future by using the Tucson Show as a guide.
I attended a few social events, avoided some expensive dealers and some cheap dealers, heard some presentations and avoided others, and I must say that this was one of the most enjoyable shows I attended. But there is always room for improvement, be it at shows, one's knowledge or one's collection, and that what makes collecting minerals so exciting.
21st Feb 2013 02:35 UTCDave Owen
21st Feb 2013 03:47 UTCJoseph Polityka Expert
Interesting discussion. I did not go to Tucson this year but would like to make one point: any expenses you incur while going to and from any mineral show have to be factored into the price you pay for specimens. This is, in economic theory, call the acquision cost and the costs go up the further you travel and the longer you stay at a show. If you value the "experience" of Tucson and the chance to drink with your buddies then go out and enjoy yourself because you can't put a price on fellowship. But to think you are getting bargains when you spend $2000.plus on expenses for travel and hotels is really an illusion. I know many collectors who sweep in the first day of February, stay a few days and come home having never attended the main show.
Best wishes,
Joe
22nd Feb 2013 14:09 UTCRob Cook
22nd Feb 2013 15:56 UTCTom Klinepeter
Every year I go for the first weekend of shows and have never attended the main show, maybe next year I will. Also by going the first weekend this year the weather was very good especially for someone coming from the cold far north.
So to minerals, I felt there were a lot more dealers of the higher end minerals and less of the mid to lower cost specimens but that is happing at most major shows. The over all quality was very good and if you took your time you could find almost anything. How many of you that attended saw the dealer with all the red Beryl’s from Utah?
I did not add a lot to the collection but came home with 5 nice and quite different specimens. My tastes have evolved over time and what I desire most often cost more then my budget allows. My mother used to say I had a Champaign taste on a beer budget, how right she was.
I did stop by to see Alfredo but he was deep in discussion with a collector and I just could not interrupt him.
All and all I had a very good time and already am making plans to return next year.
25th Feb 2013 00:11 UTCHenry Barwood
25th Feb 2013 00:39 UTCMaurizio Dini Expert
since I am interested mosty in chilean species, anyone of you can tell me which specimens from Chile was availalbe either for sell or trade?
thanks
Maurizio Dini
25th Feb 2013 03:51 UTCKeith A. Peregrine
Keith
1st Mar 2013 00:41 UTCRay Hill Expert
BTW you can avoid the flu by trying to always get adequate sleep, eating balanced meals, and keeping steriwipes on hand and cleaning your hands after meeting people and handling specimens...since hands touching things is the most common vector for spreading diseases.
15th Mar 2013 17:31 UTCStephen C. Blyskal Expert
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