FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Les Presmyk]

The ability to buy minerals without having to physically see them first has been with the collecting community as long as there has been a postal service. Up until 20 years ago, this part of the hobby was conducted by those dealers willing to spend the time and effort to put together mailing lists and collectors willing to acqurie specimens that way. Obviously, that limited some of the species they could receive but there are many collectors who have built collections that way. Not all of us were lucky enough to be born in Phoenix, Arizona where the Tucson Show was only two hours away.

Twenty years ago, with the advent of video cameras, now a collector could receive a video of a number of specimens being offered for sale. Ten years ago, we watched as the internet became the newest tool to sell minerals. Just like shows, these are all tools that allow dealers and collectors to interact and make deals. Some collectors love shows, other abhor them. Some collectors like buying over the internet and others do not. One is not better than the other, just different. The dealers are no better or worse, because they choose one or more venues to sell their specimens. Finally, there are good dealers and bad, good collectors and bad. The internet does not define the abilities and ethics of a dealer or collector.