Mineral Specimens

A mineral specimen is a naturally occurring piece of mineral that has been collected for the purpose of study or display. They can be found in a variety of settings, from mines and quarries to natural outcroppings and even your own backyard. Some minerals can be formed in as little as a couple of years, but most of them take hundreds of years to form. Collecting crystals and minerals quickly gained major popularity during the Victorian era. The monarchs across Europe during this time sought to accumulate minerals quickly and even turned this into challenges amongst themselves to see who could gather the most premium one. Nowadays almost every European city contains a vast collection of these specimens and crystals, and they are kept in natural history museums. 

Although some of these mineral specimens weren’t considered by Victorian gemologists to be as beautiful as their natural counterparts, they are unique, to say the least, and can fetch a worthy price in today’s markets. As they may include minerals that form when the earth’s crust is initially formed, this makes them a rare and valuable commodity.

There are many reasons to collect these specimens. Some people collect for the beauty of the minerals, while others collect for the scientific value. Whatever your reason, collecting mineral specimens can be a fun and rewarding hobby.

Gem Avenue is committed to providing our customers with the highest quality fine mineral specimens in the world. We source our specimens from reputable and ethical sources from all over the world, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Morocco, Brazil, and many more. Our collection of specimens are perfect for any home or collectors and we are proud to offer them to our customers. Thank you for considering Gem Avenue as your source for the best quality mineral specimens in the world!