(3) Striated Mineral Specimens. "I got a rock." - Charlie Brown, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966)

Size (Largest): 7 x 4 x 4 1/2 in. 

#2493 #14 . 

Mineral collecting is the hobby of systematically collecting, identifying and displaying mineral specimens. Mineral collecting can also be a part of the profession of mineralogy and allied geologic specialties. Individual collectors often specialize in certain areas, collecting samples of several varieties of a specific mineral from locations spread throughout a region or the world, or of minerals found in pegmatites. Generally considered the “Father of Mineralogy,” Georgius Agricola (1494-1555) was the first recorded avid mineral collector. He wrote several books, including two of enduring significance: “De Re Metallica,” an early treatise on mining, and “De Natura Fossilium,” the first (1546) modern textbook of mineralogy. Another famous 16th century mineral collector was Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II (1552-1612), who built an extremely large mineral collection while employing Anselmus de Boodt (c. 1550-1634), his court physician, to expand and tend his collections. After Rudolf’s death his collection was dispersed, but was estimated to contain over 10,000 specimens when he passed. Many minerals are strikingly beautiful and collected for their aesthetic value. Serious collectors will go so far as traveling great distances to find the right specimen. Whatever the interest or focus of the collector, there are over 6,000 recognized minerals on Earth, with countless variations of each, giving anyone curious something to study and explore!