Old Collections
Material from old collections can be found in several ways. Sometimes a collector decides to sell his or her collection, and contacts the dealer directly. Then the dealer must make arrangements to either visit the seller's collection, or else to have it shipped. When a collector contacts me, the first thing I do is to ask for a list of the specimens with size, locality and price, plus photos of the most important pieces in the collection. Then I can assess whether the collection is something I might be interested in buying. Some dealers visit areas near classic mines, knocking on dozens of doors in search of old pieces that have been put away, gathering dust since they first came to light.

Occasionally I combine forces with another dealer(s) and we make a joint purchase, after deciding how the collection will be split up. Typically this is as simple as, you choose first, I choose second, you choose third, etc. I also purchase material form old collections that have been purchased by large wholesalers, who buy the material, price it, and offer it for sale.

Collected by the Dealer
I love nothing more than going out on a mining expedition and finding mineral specimens myself. I started doing this when I was 7 years old, and have been actively field collecting since 1987. Especially when collecting in New England, not all the specimens I find are of high enough quality to sell, but sometimes I hit the jackpot and find something truly exceptional. In 2000 I ran the mining operation for the mine owner at the William Wise Mine in Westmoreland, NH. The first day of mining we breached a pocket, later named the Éclair Pocket, which produced a number of exceptional octahedral green fluorite specimens. The best had 6 crystals, all about 6", and I later sold it for $36,000! At the invitation of various mine owners, I have also collected in other states and countries, including visits to the Spruce Claim in Washington, Hallelujah Junction in Nevada, the Fluorita Dulce claim in Arizona, Lavrion in Greece, and the famed pyrite mine in Navajun, Spain.

Purchased Direct from the Mine Owner
Over the years I have been buying and selling minerals, I have become good friends with many people who are operating mines specifically for mineral specimens. These people give me access to material from their latest finds of top quality specimens. Some of my favorites include Adam Wright's crocoite from the Adelaide Mine, Cal Graeber's fluorite from the Rogerly Mine, and Joquin Hentsch's tanzanite, etc. from Merelani, Tanzania.

Purchased from a Wholesale Dealer
There are many wholesale dealers who specialize in providing material to dealers, usually at a low enough price that the pieces can be re-sold at a profit. One dealer specializes in Mexican minerals, and makes regular trips to the mines to buy material direct from the miners. In many cases they have cultivated these relationships for years, and are able to buy specimens that would otherwise be unavailable.

Waiting for the Top Gem wholesale warehouse to open

Purchased at Shows
High retail prices mean that I am usually unable to purchase specimens direct from dealers who set up at shows, though most are willing to give a fellow dealer small discounts. However, when they sell off some of their specimens at half price, I may be able to find good things at a reasonable price.

View of the TGMS main show in Tucson

Regardless of how a dealer acquired a specimen, keep in mind that besides the purchase price of the specimen, there are other expenditures associated with finding the pieces. These include the cost of travelling to shows, accommodations and meals; expenses incurred in tracking down old collections; or, the price of wresting specimens from the earth. I know of very few dealers who make exorbitant profits on their specimens - most of us are content to provide our friends and customers the fine specimens they desire and to make a little money on the side.