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Featured Galleries Mineral Specimens   Uncut Diamond Crystals Gem Minerals Connoisseur Minerals     Pedigreed Minerals Customer Favorites My Best Minerals Quartz Crystals Gold, Silver, Copper Classic Localities	Mineral of the Week #58564, Cerussite (twinned crystals), Tsumeb Mine, Namibia (SOLD)	Online order form Visit our other galleries with the links below: New Listings1A New Listings1B New Listings2 New Listings3 New Listings4 Featured Galleries My Best Minerals Classic Minerals Gem Minerals Natural Diamonds Historic & Pedigreed Crystal Oddities Overlooked Treasures Large Decorator-Sized Books & Magazines Mineral/Locality-Index Boxed Sets Gift Ideas Locality Galleries New England States New York & New Jersey Mid-Atlantic States Midwest States Arizona & New Mexico Rocky Mountain States Western States Canada Mexico Brazil & South America Britain & North Atlantic Europe Russia & former USSR India,_Pakistan_&_Afghanistan China, Japan & Pacific Rim Africa Tsumeb Mine, Namibia Minerals from Type Localities Mineral Categories Apatite & Phosphates Barite, Celestine & Sulfates Calcite Azurite, Malachite & Carbonates Fluorite & Halides Garnets Gold, Silver & Elements Magnetite, Hematite & Oxides Quartz Silicates Galena, Pyrite & Sulfides/Sulfosalts Tourmalines Zeolites and Associated Wulfenite & Molbdates, Arsenates, Vanadates Fluorescent Minerals Laguna Agates Liddicoatite Tourmaline Tanzanite Pseudomorphs Diamond Crystals Diamonds $1-$199 Diamonds $200-$399 Diamonds $400-$999 Diamonds $1000+ Diamonds under 1 carat Diamonds 1-2 carats Diamonds 2-5 carats Diamonds over 5 carats Diamond Crystal Clusters Gem-grade Diamonds Diamonds for Jewelry Sorted Lists of all Minerals on this site Sorted by Price Sorted by Size Sorted by Species Sorted by Number Best Minerals Minerals $100-$199 Minerals $200-$399 Minerals $400-$999 Minerals $1000 and up
Information Purchasing Information Feedback Your Comments Frequently Asked Questions Returning Items for Refund Damaged Packages Shipping Costs Quantity Discounts Security Sell Your Rock & Mineral Collection. Why should I sign your Guestbook? Quick Reference for Mineral Species, Formula, Class, and Type Locality List of Water Soluble Mineral Species Mineral List Available Upon Request Contact	News and Comments My commentary two weeks ago included an insulting swipe at those monstrous acrylic bases that dominate many collector's display cases. Several visitors took the time to email me their agreement with my objection to them. In discussions on the telephone with one, I compared display bases to the soundtrack of a movie. I remember hearing an interview with a movie soundtrack composer who said his goal was to add to the movie with his music, but that the audience should not be conscious of the presence of the soundtrack. That is exactly my philosophy about display bases. Display bases are there to enhance the displaying of the mineral specimens, but that the viewer should not be aware of their presence (or at least the bases should not be as apparent as the mineral specimens). I believe that if you have a dark case, such as the fiber-optically illuminated display cases used at mineral shows, that you should use dark bases so they blend into the background. I recommend the black bases made by Terry Burtzlaff. See his gallery of bases at Museum Style Base. If you are displaying in a mineral show exhibit case with light-colored inner surfaces you should use light-colored display base s(and light-colored labels). And regardless of the color or material, the bases should not be highly reflective. Lastly, any labeling on your bases should be changeable/removable so that revisions are possible. Those awful acrylic bases all have permanent labels that cannot be changed. How many have obsolete locality or species data? How many list obsolete species like Wolframite? How many give localities as ""Zaire" even though that country name has been obsolete since 1997? In closing let me clarify that I do not object to minimal, understated acrylic bases with labels on them. I object to the big, thick acrylic bases with beveled edges and engraved labels that are the eye sores. Their design reflects more of the lighting than most moneral specimens. They are not the soundtrack that enhances the movie, they are the music video that accompanies the movie. John Betts 6/18/2013 P.S. In response to my critics that ask why I am qualified to judge designs, I point out that in 1990 Fusion Planning magazine (Japan) cited me as one of the top 50 product designers in the U.S. In 1994 Business Week magazine honored me with the highest honor in design with the Gold Design Excellence Award and featured my design for the Polaroid Vision camera in a full page article. Click here to read past news and commentaries...
Click here to see other comments about this site by customers. Also add your feedback...	Customer Comments: "Just received my 3 mineral specimens today in great shape. Very pleased! Excellent!" Kirby J. K. "John, the uvite is an important specimen, and I'm so happy to have it in the collection. And that's coming from someone who's difficult to please. It's rare to see a floater crystal that looks polished! Thanks for the superb specimen." J. Houran "John Betts is the only person I would even think of purchasing diamonds from, online, without first inspecting the stone personally. I made my first purchase (a gorgeous stone costing five figures) with a great deal of trepidation, but the transaction went so remarkably well, I had to stop by and commend John. It was a very difficult cross-border transaction involving lengthy customs processes etc, but John was with me every step of the way. When the diamond finally arrived, it was obvious the long wait and anguish had been well worthwhile. The stone is exactly as John described and photographed. My jeweler was very impressed that I could get such an intrinsically beautiful raw stone. Thank you John, I am so glad I took this unusual step of buying a diamond online from a guy I've never met! Your patience, knowledge, professionalism and outstanding service are unparalleled." Bea in Singapore See more comments...
About the Owner Background Information Why I Collect Minerals Contact Information Mineral Show Schedule Links   See me next at: Rochester Mineralogical Symposium, April 18-21 2013	Pledge to My Customers: Customer satisfaction is my primary goal. I pledge: New minerals will be added to this site every week. All minerals offered will be naturally crystallized specimens - no fakes, no dyes,  no irradiation, no crystals glued on matrix. Only the exact item pictured on the site will be shipped - no substitutes. Photographs will accurately represent each item - no exaggeration, enhancement or retouching flaws. Mineral species and localities will be accurately listed on labels with each specimen. All items will be shipped via US Postal Service, usually the next business day after the order is finalized. Each mineral will be individually wrapped and carefully packaged to prevent damage during shipping. All historic labeling, if available, will be included with each mineral. Returns are gladly accepted. No questions asked, no explanation necessary. All customer information will be kept confidential and never shared or sold. I will continue to freely share my knowledge with others and contribute to the study and appreciation of minerals. All mineral specimens have a lifetime guarantee: if the mineral specimen is ever tested, and I incorrectly identified the mineral species, I will refund the cost of the original purchase & shipping, the cost return shipping and the cost of the test.  John H. Betts, owner Mineral dealer since 1989
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since this site opened in 1997.

48,733 mineral specimens sold, shipped in 16,561 packages to 47 countries.

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John Betts - Fine Minerals, New York, NY
a division of allminerals.com, dealer of Fine Minerals and Natural Crystal Clusters since 1989.
Internet sales only - No showroom

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