Are You a Rock Head?

By Bruce Ueno

Green Tourmaline

There's nothing else quite like it.  Twice a year, collectors from all over Southern California descend upon the Holiday Inn in Santa Ana for the West Coast Gem and mineral show, produced by Martin Zinn Expositions.  At this weekend's Spring show, some 80 dealers from across the nation will gather, bringing their wares by trailer and by trunk load.  Everything from fine mineral specimens, to fossils, to mineral-related art, to cut gemstones will be available for purchase.

Over the years, the show has become a "must see" for me and my family. Yes, it is in Orange County and not the Inland Empire, but it's still close enough as the crow flies, and this Southern California institution is definitely worth a visit and a plug from yours truly.  The show offers minerals ranging from inexpensive "beginner" pieces for young collectors, to rare and pricey specimens for the hard-core connoisseur.  Last year, a dealer friend of mine allowed me to hold his prized specimen- a massive gold nugget that the size of a dinner plate. Now whether you're a collector or not, that's pretty darned cool!  

Visitors will find ballrooms packed with exhibitors, but the vast majority of the dealers set up shop in their hotel rooms where sleeping quarters make way by day for tables filled with mineralia.  Virtually every room on the ground floor will be booked by a vendor, lending a lively, bazaar-like atmosphere to the event. Plan on staying a while; you can easily spend 2 or 3 hours perusing the various rooms.

Guests mill about a ballroom filled with gems and minerals

The Spring West Coast Gem and Mineral Show will be held from Friday, May 16 through Sunday, May 18 at the Holiday Inn in Santa Ana, 2726 S. Grand Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705, just off the 55 freeway. The show will be open from 10 AM to 6 PM on Friday and Saturday, and from 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday.  It's best to arrive a little early to avoid the crowds as the hotel's parking lot fills up quickly.

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