FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Eduardoo]

Surely you seasoned experts in the rocks and minerals world won't relate too much to this story, but maybe it can resonate with someone just taking the first steps and wondering if this is a hobby worth pursuing.

I am not new to collecting as an activity. I've once had what was probably the best collection of Ecuadorian coins in private hands. My book "Coins of Ecuador" still sells well.

I also published a book about Ecuadorian Birds, my other passion, and I still find myself chasing these wonderful animals through jungles and moors.

But .... crystals, rocks and minerals have always exerted a fascination, although unattended, on me. Finally I decided to take a look. You know, when you look into the depths, the abyss stares back at you... so I got hooked.

It's been like six months now. Of course I bought some beautifully heated amethyst without knowing it, and my agate geodes are pretty much forgeries. I also have some quartz with artificial terminations, and so on.

There has been one or two more serious mistakes too. Once I saw a beautiful orange garnet on muscovite matrix that I simply had to buy. I got it at what I considered then an exorbitant high price (US 500). Unfortunately no one told me how fragile the matrix was, so now I own a nice floater :-(

So, my advice to absolute beginners is to read a lot, find honest and reputable dealers and stick to them, visit forums and shows if possible, and, above all, refrain from making expensive purchases until you know exactly what you are doing.

This is a fascinating and deep hobby. There is art, beauty and the thrill of discovery. You can also get in the depths of science if that is your thing.

Enjoy.

[Paul S]

There are frauds and forgeries in many hobbies. Copied paintings, faked antiques like furniture and fossils, synthetic crystals sold as natural, and many many more.

If people want to make money but don't have the real thing in their possession, they will try to fake it; the only thing to counter this is to be always watching and learning. Be critical and doubt everything!

As a novice myself I have encountered a few 'fakes' in my collection. Some I found out about after I had them for several years. Others were among my more recent purchases. But it's all a learning process. I will never believe anyone anymore selling orange citrine to me. Or perfect fluorite octahedrons without points of attachment, big and pretty chalcanthite crystals and artificially coloured agates. These are all fakes/frauds that I will not fall for anymore.

That doesn't mean I won't be fooled again, I guess it will happen again, but I accept it as a part of the hobby. If the fraud is downright criminal, I will certainly take actions, but I think that in most cases I will be happy enough with the mental note and the fact I can tell other people about the fraud and possibly the fraudulent dealer. I guess that this is also the strength of a web based community: we can warn each other from around the world as dealers operate worldwide.