Articles

Narrower than the guides and published as they are written. The guides are the evergreen reference; this is where the more specific questions go.

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  There Is a Fossil in My Rock. What Now?

  Most fossils people find are common invertebrates worth keeping and not selling. Vertebrate material is different, legally and scientifically — here is the line.

  4 min read

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  A Rock With Crystals Inside: Geodes, Vugs and What They Are Worth

  A hollow lined with crystals is a geode; an irregular cavity in solid rock is a vug. Both form the same way, and neither is usually worth money.

  3 min read

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  Is My Rock Valuable? An Honest Answer

  Most rocks are worth nothing, and that is fine. Here is what actually creates value in a specimen, the handful of finds worth pursuing, and how to get a real appraisal.

  4 min read

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  The Mohs Hardness Test With Things You Already Own

  How to run a reliable hardness test using a fingernail, a copper coin, a steel knife and a piece of glass — including the three mistakes that give false readings.

  3 min read

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  The Streak Test: The Most Underused Tool in Identification

  The streak test takes five seconds and settles questions that colour cannot. How to do it properly, what each streak colour narrows to, and when it will not work.

  3 min read