Earth Science and Natural Science Research

Tucson Mineral Show
February 2003, Tucson, AZ - Page 5 of 5
Rick Dillhoff, Sammamish Washington

I won't say that prices were down at the convention center show but it did seem that discounting had increased substantially. In the past discounts are harder to come by at this show and when offered usually are in the 10-20% range. This year no one acted insulted by the question and discounts were typically in the 30-40% range for pieces priced over $1,000. There are still plenty of those. The Tsumeb cerrusite you've always wanted was there but ran $11,000 for a 3-4 inch crystal group. Detrin didn't put up any prices on the spectacular blue tourmalines mentioned previously. I guess if you have to ask…. Collectors Edge had slightly smaller and greener tourmaline specimens of the same habit from another find. Pala properties had a new find of large glassy epidotes from East Africa that I understand were first displayed at the Westward Look show the week before. Those and the previously mentioned Hematite psuedomorphs were the only really new finds this year. All in all it was a good show despite the cloud of world politics and economics.

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