My Show & Event Schedule

Change will once again be a feature in the Denver Shows in September 2025.

Some good, some bad. There are additional changes in the works, so check back. I'll post updates as I learn about them.

The Colorado Minerals and Fossil Show had only a one year contract at its Marriott location and will move to Northglenn, CO, just north of downtown, in a brand new Delta Hotel (also a Marriott property). This location is also on I-25, but only 7 miles east of the Hardrock location. The neighborhood is new and filled with nice restaurants and shopping and will become a major hub for the Denver show.

Our Just Minerals & Crystals Event will move to Thornton, CO at a nice and recently updated Doubletree Hotel (a Hilton property) that is literally across the street from the Delta. The street, 120th Ave, is the city boundary between Thornton and Northglenn. The show will be in the Castle Event Center that the hotel was built to service.

Due to an unfortunate change in the Hardrock schedule, 'Just Minerals' will be forced to open on Labor Day (which is on Sept 1). The first two days, as in the past, will cater to dealers looking for bargains for their shop and internet businesses and collectors as well. In a change though, the show will now extend for four more days, with both wholesale items and retail high quality mineral specimens at discounted prices. Some of our dealers will attend only the first two days because they lack adequate staff to cover there booth at Hardrock as well. Many big names will remain through the weekend. This overlap with Hardrock will give serious collectors another place to shop. Our show will also overlap with the shows in the Delta and Drury hotels and late arriving wholesale and retail buyers will have an opportunity to shop as well.

The Drury show will continue in place in 2025 but will also expand by adding one floor of dealers working from their rooms in addition to the dealers in this year's small event room. I expect the expansion filled quickly with vendors who could not find space in 2024 and others in search of a less expensive venue

The bad news is a poor decision by the management of Hardrock. The principal promoter of that show also promotes the fine Munich show in Germany. Like other foreign promoters in the past, he fails to appreciate American culture and holidays. As a result, he has moved Hardrock from being the traditional grand finale on the second full weekend in September to the first weekend, thus impacting the Labor Day Holiday. This date change and an increase in the already very high booth rent was objected to by many current Hardrock vendors, but it is moving forward regardless. The Denver "Showcase" will continue through the following week including all of the activity mentioned above and at the Coliseum/Stockyard area, as of latest announcements. Several of the 2024 Hardrock dealers will move to the Just Minerals & Crystals Event, dropping HRS in favor of 6 days availability to everyone.

My Show and Event Schedule

Three specimens that debuted at the show. Blue fluorite from Brazil, Green Fluorite on Schorl with Quartz, Namibia, and gem Calcite Twin from Balmat, NY.

The Fluorite now has a new home in Arizona. Yes, this is more than a local show.

I subscribe to the free Roskin Gem News Reports, (gary@roskingemnewsreport.com) that you might also enjoy. A recent version had a nice discussion of the value of "trade shows". It stressed that although there are good things on the internet (and I would add, seen with traveling dealers), there is nothing like attending shows to get the vibe of what is new, what it costs, and who is the source. Socializing is important. Finding the dealer who shares your taste and learning that many booths have similar items, but at widely varying prices, is really important to educated collectors. Attend shows, visit fun cities, and make new mineral friends!

Leonard Himes Dealer in Fine Mineral Specimens

I will post more detail about this venerable show as it nears. I promise to show many wonderful beryl specimens, and continue my tradition of having most of the booth filled with reduced price merchandise. Yes there will be bargains!!!! Beyond being a top drawer club show, the timing of the show is perfect for a family vacation in Colorado with its many opportunities to collect in the field. The Colorado Springs Mineral

Society member will be happy to suggest good places to collect.

After the Denver Spring Show,

I'll be busy in my lab and sorting minerals for the

Next Show on our Schedule:

Our Spring shows are in Denver (April) and ColoradoSprings (June).

We invite collectors to visit us in Monument CO by appointment

during late Spring and Summer.

The Denver Spring Show, officially the Denver Mineral and Fossil Show was held on April 18-20. The vendors chatted during set up, wondering if there would be any customer. After all, It was a new location (the National Western Complex) on a holiday weekend (Easter) and the weather forecast was for near freezing temperatures and snowing! That was reason enough to have doubts.

We were pleasantly surprised to see collectors spreading through out the huge hall as soon as 10 AM Friday arrived. The snow was frequent in showers, but the roads were warm from the day before and travel was no difficult.

Saturday was much nicer than predicted with no more snow and some sunshine. Sunday was sunny and much warmer. Sales continued throughout the weekend at a steady rate the allowed us to visit with customers and have a nice time. We had a show that was surprisingly successful and are thankful to those of you who braved the weather.

The 2026 show will move into a new hall that is scheduled to open later this year and is located just behind this year's building. We hope to be there and see you and many more collectors next year.