Podcast 006: Collecting minerals and gemstones

The podcast is in Dutch, but also available via YouTube with English subtitles, so you can listen in – even if your Dutch is not perfect. Below you will also find the fully transcribed text.

In this episode of the Stack of Stones community podcast, I would like to talk about collecting minerals and gemstones. By that, I don’t mean searching for minerals in a quarry or mine yourself, but rather building a collection.

I previously made a video about collecting minerals and rocks, you can watch it here.

Collecting gems and minerals is certainly not new, but it is very popular right now. I’ll first take you through a brief overview of the development of mineral and gemstone collecting throughout history. Then I discuss different ways to shape your collection and provide tips for when you are just starting to collect or perhaps have reached a point of making choices in your collection.

Mineral and gemstone collecting can be a hobby focused on aesthetics, science or just the pleasure of collecting. It also links enthusiasts together, each other’s collections are viewed and pieces are regularly exchanged or sold among themselves. But collecting also allows the collector to gain a deeper understanding of geological processes and mineralogy. Many discoveries in science are due to observant collectors who have shared their observations. Similarly, there are quite a few minerals named after collectors who, through their specialization and accumulated knowledge, have proven to be of great value. So who knows, maybe someday a mineral will be named after you if you continue to collect seriously!

Concise history of collecting minerals and gemstones

Throughout history, people have always collected minerals and gemstones, for a long time with their location and availability in the immediate environment as the main determining factors. Collecting served diverse purposes: use as tools, weapons, medicine, as art objects, cosmetics, talismans, spiritual objects, as raw materials, for scientific research or simply for aesthetic pleasure because they are beautiful. In order of time, I will give some examples of how humans collected minerals and gemstones.

The earliest probable use of stone tools dates to 3.4 million years ago. Remains of these, along with carved and broken bones, were found at Dikika near remains of Australopithecus, an early humanoid. The first generally recognized tools, called pebble tools or choppers, were found at Gona in Ethiopia and date from about 2.6 million years ago. Stone working and use became increasingly refined and spread. First across much of Africa and later across Eurasia, from southern England to Java and northern China.

The first primitive mining also dates back to prehistoric times, with flint being one of the first materials mined for tools. But where flint was not available, such tools were also made, for example, from materials such as radiolarite, chalcedony, basalt, quartzite and obsidian.

But one of the oldest pieces of evidence that humans not only used stones as tools or raw materials but also collected them for other purposes was discovered in 2021. Scientists found 22 white calcite crystals and fragments of ostrich egg in a cave on Ga-Mohana hill in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, dating back some 105,000 years. It was determined that the crystals had not entered the deposits through natural processes, but were seemingly intentionally collected objects and probably linked to spiritual beliefs and rituals. The eggshells were probably used as water reservoirs.

From about 8,000 B.C., mining was practiced worldwide, such as red ochre mining in Southern Africa and gold mining in Egypt. Iron and copper, vital to early humans, were used for tools and weapons, but also led to the development of other metals, such as bronze. Silver, also known since prehistoric times, was often used for jewelry and as money, but had less impact on metallurgy because of its low structural strength. Lead use dates to around 2500 BCE.

The Sumerians, one of the world’s oldest civilizations (5500-1800 B.C.) in Mesopotamia, were already creating jewelry with agate, lapis lazuli and carnelian. And jade, for example, was important in China since 3600 B.C. and a symbol of wealth and power, especially for imperial families. In ancient Egypt (3100-332 B.C.), gemstones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli were spiritually valued and used in jewelry and, for example, Tutankhamun’s death mask. The Egyptians also used Libyan desert glass, formed by a meteorite impact. The earliest known artifacts of iron from meteorites are small beads from 3200 B.C., found in Egypt.

The ancient Greeks and Romans also valued gemstones for their supposed powers and used them in jewelry. Romans popularized rings as status symbols and used amber, among others, in addition to stones such as garnet and carnelian.

Since the Middle Ages, royal houses around the world have collected and worn famous gemstones. Some famous examples include: the “Ruby of the Black Prince,” a large red spinel that has been part of the British Crown Jewels since the 14th century. It was acquired by Edward of Woodstock, better known as the Black Prince, and is now embedded in the Imperial State Crown. Diamonds became more popular when people discovered how to cut them to maximize their brilliance. One of the most famous diamonds in the world, the Koh-i-Noor, originated in India and is also part of the British Crown Jewels. The diamond has a rich and sometimes bloody history and has been in British hands since the 19th century. The largest rough diamond ever found was discovered in South Africa and later cut into several smaller stones. The largest pieces, known as Cullinan I and Cullinan II, are also part of the British Crown Jewels and can be viewed in the Tower of London.

But the Dutch royal family also owns some special gems and jewelry. The most famous example is the Stuart diamond. This diamond was originally purchased by King William III of England (who was also governor of the Netherlands) and his wife, Queen Mary II, in the late 17th century. The Stuart diamond is a striking oval stone that weighs about 39.75 carats and is often worn as the centerpiece of a royal necklace. The jewel is an important part of the Dutch royal collection and is worn by Queen Máxima during special state occasions, such as the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander in 2013.

These gems are invaluable not only for their size and beauty, but also for their rich historical significance and the many stories of royal intrigue, wars and conquests associated with them.

During the Renaissance (1400-1650), interest in gemstones, especially diamonds, was renewed. Spanish conquerors in Brazil confused green tourmaline (verdelite) with emerald, a misunderstanding that was not corrected until the 20th century. Incidentally, the name “tourmaline” comes from the Sinhalese word “tōramalli,” a collective term for colored gemstones brought from Sri Lanka to Europe by the United East India Company.

In the Aztec Empire (15th-16th centuries), breathtaking artifacts were made of gemstones such as turquoise, opal, obsidian, jade and quartz. A famous example is the mask of Xiuhtecuhtli, made of turquoise, mother of pearl and gold foil, which was brought to Spain by Hernán Cortés.

During the Age of Discovery (15th-17th centuries) and the subsequent Industrial Revolution (1760-1840), the world was opened up, leading to greater availability of minerals and gems. Mining techniques improved with the introduction of dynamite in the late 19th century and mechanical drilling during the Industrial Revolution. Many minerals were extracted as by-products of large-scale mining, such as turquoise in copper mining in the United States.

Even today, many minerals and gemstones that we collect are still a by-product of the extraction of ores and other raw materials. But there are certainly mines or certain deposits specifically used to collect stones for enthusiasts. For example, consider the famous Diana Maria Mine for fluorites in England and the Heritage Acres Mine in North Carolina, United States for different varieties of quartz. These types of mines are operated commercially, aimed at selling gems and minerals to collectors and hobbyists, and the latter, for example, also offers visitors the opportunity to collect stones themselves.

The series Outback Crystal Hunters, which was broadcasted on Discovery in the spring of 2024, also follows various fortune seekers who search for minerals and gemstones in Australia purely for enthusiasts.

So where people used to collect mostly minerals and gemstones that were available in the immediate area, today the world is open to the enthusiast. We have started to travel much more but also through the Internet you can now easily obtain minerals and gemstones from all over the world. We also have more free time and financial resources. The purpose of collecting has also changed, we no longer use stones as tools, weapons or medicine, but primarily as aesthetic or scientific collectibles, as jewelry or for spiritual use.

Famous mineral collections in natural history museums

Mineral collecting has attracted not only individual collectors but also many major museums worldwide, which have built up extensive collections. These collections offer a deep understanding of the diversity and beauty of minerals, and are an important resource for scientific research and education.

One of the most renowned collections can be found at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C., United States. This museum houses one of the largest and most diverse mineral collections in the world, with thousands of specimens that include both rare and common minerals. The collection is famous for its exceptional gemstones, including the Hope Diamond, one of the most famous and controversial diamonds in the world.

In Europe, the Natural History Museum in London is a leading institution with an extensive mineral collection. The collection has its origins in the early cabinets of curiosities of the 18th century, but have been greatly expanded by intensive collecting and acquisition periods in the 19th and 20th centuries. The recorded collection contains nearly 200,000 minerals and about 5,000 gemstones, with thousands more for research or teaching.

The Netherlands also has a rich tradition of collecting minerals. Teylers Museum, founded in 1784, is the oldest museum in the Netherlands and houses an ancient and valuable mineral collection. This collection includes not only a wide range of types of minerals and gemstones, but also historical specimens collected during the 18th and 19th centuries providing an important historical perspective on the science of mineralogy.

Museums and their collections play a crucial role in the preservation and study of minerals, offering visitors the chance to admire and understand the wonders of the natural world. Whether for education, research or simply wonder, the mineral collections in these natural history museums remain an important source of knowledge and inspiration. In an upcoming episode of this podcast, I discuss some of these mineral collections in Dutch museums.

But, nowadays anyone can build a collection and you don’t necessarily have to go to a museum to admire beautiful and special specimens. Collecting minerals has become an accessible hobby, but how do you actually do it: build a collection?

Different ways to build a collection

So how do you actually start collecting? That is of course different for everyone and usually there is no plan. It can start with a stone you pick up at your holiday destination, with a beautiful crystal someone gives you as a gift or with the purchase of a beautiful piece of jewelry with a gemstone.

When there is wonder, you find a stone beautiful and interesting, then you look up something about it and it turns out there are many more beautiful things! It is also actually unfathomable how such extraordinary objects can arise in nature. Then you might take stones with you from every vacation, actively search for them yourself or go to a show where you buy stones and before you know it, your collection quickly grows. For some it stops again after a short time, but most enthusiasts I speak to are infected with the stone virus and then it soon gets out of hand.

In the very first episode of this podcast, I talked about how I started collecting as a child. From a stone in the pocket to a shelf full in the bedroom to my own mini-museum and now an “adult” educational collection of over 3,000 gems, minerals and rocks. Mineral collecting is also a great way to bring nature’s special creations into your home.

After some time, usually only when space is at a premium, as a collector you start to think about what and how you actually collect. Although that moment may never come for some, most collectors therefore start to become more selective over time, making choices about what to keep and what not to keep, and a focus is applied. Similarly, I once began collecting all the stones and minerals I came across, as well as fossils, bones and shells. I have since said goodbye to the latter three types again and the focus has shifted to minerals and gemstones. Rocks are now mainly of interest to me in relation to the minerals they consist of.

Mind you, there are lots of different ways you can collect and there is no right or wrong. Above all, choose something that suits you as a person, with your available budget and space also playing an important role. Keep in mind that your way of collecting can and will change over time. I like to give some considerations and tools that you can take with you in shaping your own collection.

Found yourself, swapped or bought

Many people start collecting stones by a stone they find themselves, which is how it started with me. A number of collectors then continue to collect only minerals they have found themselves. In many cases, therefore, they limit themselves to a particular search area, usually close to home. For example, I know German or Austrian collectors with a large collection from their own region. But there are also Dutch collectors who actually only include pieces they have found themselves in their collection and rarely if ever buy a piece. Also, exchanging is very common among collectors and within associations for example. Because fewer and fewer sites in our immediate vicinity are accessible, this group of collectors of self-found pieces is becoming smaller and smaller. Of course, you can also adapt your collecting area to still available sites. The number of collectors of micro minerals from slag mineral sites in Europe, for example, is still increasing.

But of course, not everyone has the opportunities to search for minerals on their own, and furthermore, many minerals or gemstones are also not at all accessible to the individual collector. For example, there is very little chance that you can go and hammer an amethyst geode yourself in Brazil. So depending on what you like or want to collect, you won’t always escape buying pieces as well. There is plenty of supply for every wallet, but your budget is usually the determining factor in this. By the way, there is a lot to say about buying minerals, just about how a price is determined for a piece for example, I’d like to go into that in more detail in a separate episode of this podcast. Listen to the episode on mineral pricing that I recorded with Ed Richard here.

Aesthetics

For most collectors, one of the most important criteria for including a particular piece in your collection remains that you like it, regardless of whether you found it yourself or bought it. But, I know from experience that own found minerals are by definition harder to get rid of, even if the piece is slightly less beautiful than a purchased one. I also know collectors who systematically collect all existing minerals, regardless of whether they look nice. Anyway, more on systematic collecting later.

In my opinion, there are more and more collectors who collect minerals purely on the basis of aesthetic properties, for their beautiful shape, color, texture, and so on. Sometimes they are almost works of art and they are regularly presented as such. In a beautiful showcase, well-lit, possibly on a pedestal or base. That ‘pedestalizing’, by the way, is really something of the last few years and one collector puts everything on an acrylic base and the other does not. What is important to me in terms of aesthetics, for example, is that crystals are intact, that is, without damage. I do present some of my pieces as aesthetic objects, but the vast majority of my collection is mainly to study and learn from.

Size

Another option for making choices in your collection is based on size of the pieces. An important argument here is often your own available space. But there are also minerals that you cannot find in large pieces or crystals at all, and then a micro-sized specimen is the best there is. It is therefore difficult to build a collection of only pieces of one and the same size, even though it is of course much more convenient to present and store.

Although a museum, on the contrary, often wants to display large pieces, not everyone has the space for that at home. But it is hip these days to put a few large so-called “statement-pieces” in your interior. But, I think the most common size in collections with mineral specimens is the so-called hand piece, up to about 10 cm, that just fits in your hand. In English often called small cabinet or cabinet-size pieces. If you have more space, you can also collect larger pieces which are then called large cabinet-size or even museum-size. But most people have limited space and thus collect smaller pieces, we then talk about miniature size (3-5 cm), thumbnail (literally as big as your thumbnail) or micromounts that fit in a 2 by 2 cm box. Each size, of course, has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, viewing a micromount always requires a microscope and not everyone has one. Moreover, looking at your collection together with others is then more difficult. But the advantage is that those small boxes take up much less space than the same amount of handpieces!

Systematically or a particular group or species

There are now more than 6,000 recognized species of minerals with an almost uncountable number of varieties. Of these, only a small percentage are easily accessible to collectors. Most collectors therefore focus on the 100-200 or so species that are relatively common and readily available on the market. This is because many minerals are rare, hard to find, or simply not available.

Systematic collecting is an approach in which, as a collector, you take a methodical and often scientifically based approach. This can be done in several ways:

• Classification oriented: For example, collectors can focus on specimens of each mineral group or species according to classification systems such as those of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA). Whether you as a collector will ever get your collection complete this way is questionable, as some species are extremely rare. But this type of collection does give a nice overview of the full diversity within the mineralogical world. Many museum collections are built up in this way.
• Geographically oriented: As I mentioned briefly, collectors of only self-found pieces often focus on a particular area, usually close to home. But other collectors also sometimes choose to specialize on minerals from a particular location. This may be a specific mine, such as Tsumeb in Namibia or the Clara mine in the Black Forest in Germany. For example, 380 different minerals and varieties are known from the Tsumeb mine alone and over 550 from the Clara mine! So plenty of diversity from a single location. The focus can also be on a particular area, for example the Eifel or the Alps, but also a particular state, country or continent. Unlimited possibilities. Besides a nice overview of the diversity of a location, this kind of collection also contributes to in-depth knowledge of the geological characteristics of certain areas.

Some collectors even choose to limit their focus to a specific group or type of minerals, allowing them to build up in-depth expertise and specialised collections, such as:

• One specific mineral in all its varieties and forms: an example is collecting only quartz, collecting different varieties such as amethyst, citrine, rose quartz and smoky quartz, as well as different growth and crystal forms of quartz. Similarly, you can collect only minerals from the garnet group or the different varieties of tourmaline.
• Mineral associations: this involves collecting minerals that often occur together in the same geological environment. This helps to get a picture of the geological processes that formed these minerals. For example, minerals from pegmatites, oxidation zones, or more specifically lead or silver minerals.
• Gemstones: although popularly speaking gems and minerals are almost synonymous these days, there are also collectors of gemstones in the strict sense of the word. This often refers to faceted or cut stones that are also used in jewelry, such as sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. Collectors may concentrate on cut stones only, on varieties within a particular gem type, but I also see beautiful collections of a rough and a cut stone of the same type.

Other specializations and combinations

There are endless other possibilities for shaping your own collection, and you can also combine the various examples I have discussed above. A few special insertions I would like to mention here. A large group of enthusiasts among us is concerned with the metaphysical properties of stones, so that can also be a particular focus of your collection. You can also collect only cut objects of stones, such as spheres or towers or hand stones. But also consider collecting oddities such as fluorescent minerals that give light under a UV lamp, twin crystals, strange growth forms or stones with inclusions. Pseudomorphoses, minerals that have been altered so that they have a different appearance than you would expect based on their properties, is also an interesting angle.

My collection

I myself have a combined collection of over 3,000 objects. Mostly rough minerals in hand pieces, some cut gemstones and rough rocks. Within these I have a few themes, such as varieties and growth forms of quartz and fluorescent minerals, among others. Also a collection of ‘Scammite’, examples of synthetic stones, imitations or treated minerals. I used that collection, among others, in the making of my book about which I told in episode 3 and episode 4 of this podcast.

My collection is primarily for education, for myself and others. Many of my pieces I use in my courses, videos or educational articles on my website and social media. Therefore, I try to collect as many pieces as possible that are typical of the species, with clear crystals or properties that you can study.

When your collection gets as big as mine, it’s really important to focus, select and most importantly, “de-collect” regularly. That’s what I call saying goodbye to pieces from your collection. I find this perhaps one of the hardest things as a collector, especially pieces that I found myself or those with a special memory. For example, I still have a number of stones from the very beginning that I would never include in my collection now but I don’t get rid of them anyway. In a future episode of this podcast, I will talk in detail about “de-collecting” and why it is so important to think about it.

But first, I would like to pass along a few tips for when you are just starting to collect or perhaps have reached a point of making choices in your collection.

Tips on building a collection

First, correct identification is crucial. Make sure you record the correct name of the mineral, its location and other relevant information. If you are not sure of the correct name or locality, try to find out by doing your own research or asking an expert, such as at a trade show or association. With the increase in the use of commercial and fantasy names on the market, this may have become increasingly difficult but also more important. Ask about it from the person you are buying the piece from.

As your collection grows, cataloging and labeling your collection is also essential. This may not seem so necessary in the beginning, because of 10 or 20 or even 50 pieces you still know what it is and where it came from, but when you get more than 100 pieces then at some point you no longer keep track. Really, take it from me: it is wise to keep a catalog from the beginning. I am still about 1,000 pieces behind now when it comes to registration. Those stones are labeled but still not included in my database. In any case, I do try to register new acquisitions immediately.

Provide each stone with a number or a small tag with a number and preferably at least the locality on the stone as well. This helps prevent important information from being lost and makes it clear that the stone is special. In retrospect, it is often possible to determine which mineral it is, but a location can usually not be simply named. Various digital or online systems are available for creating your catalog, but a simple list in Excel is already a good start. Also consider a regular backup and possibly a hard copy. Record in your catalog not only the name and location of the stone, but also historical data such as the previous owner, the date of the find and the date the piece was added to your collection. A size and weight and possibly a photograph are useful to record so that if you lose a tag or number on the stone, you can still reconnect the data to the correct stone. Proper identification and record keeping not only increases the value of your collection, but also helps with any future sales or exchanges.

Also consider the arrangement, storage and presentation of your collection. You can place your finest pieces in a showcase or well-lit display, but of course there are endless ways to display your minerals at their best. Drawer cabinets are also great for storing many pieces dust-free and easy to find. Of course, the choice depends on your own preference, living conditions and budget. But in any case, make sure your collection is accessible and not tucked away in awkward boxes in the shed or attic. That’s a waste! Besides, some pieces are sensitive to light, moisture or changing temperatures.

As I share these tips with you like this, I realize that there is actually so much to say about registering, organizing storing and presenting your collection that I should make a separate episode about that as well.

In conclusion

I think it has become clear to everyone that collecting minerals and gemstones can be a lot of fun in many different ways, but also has different challenges. There are so many factors that can make a stone special in the eyes of an enthusiast that a collection will actually never be complete. Therefore, it can be difficult to limit a collection no matter what focus you choose because each stone is unique. You will frequently be asked why you want to add another piece of the same species. However, the variety within each mineral species is endless, so no two pieces are the same. But only you can decide which piece will go into your collection.

In doing so, do consider a focus for your collection and be prepared to “de-collect” sometimes. This will certainly increase the quality of your collection and in doing so you will also make room for new, more beautiful and better, acquisitions. Moreover, your ‘de-collecting’ can be incorporated back into another enthusiast’s collection. Also listen to the episode about ‘de-collecting’ that I recorded with Ed Richard.

I have hopefully given you some guidance and inspiration in this podcast about the different ways of collecting minerals and gemstones. As I mentioned, there is no right or wrong when it comes to collecting. Whatever choices you make: everything is fine as long as it suits you. Some enthusiasts now collect everything that comes their way once and that is ok. But when you do want to add a focus, expand or improve your collection do take advantage of the information in this podcast.

Stay curious, keep collecting, and also keep enjoying the stories behind the stones we collect. Along the way of recording this episode, I have at least determined that there are still many aspects of collecting that deserve their own episode so subscribe to this podcast to not miss a thing.

I previously made a video about collecting minerals and rocks, you can watch it here: