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LATEST SITE NEWS


UPDATING VARIOUS THUMBNAIL, COLLECTIONS, AND MINIATURE GALLERIES WITH NEW ARRIVALS IN JULY

    Welcome to our web site!  We update this site regularly with new photos of minerals for sale, gemstones, listings, mineral related news, articles, etc.  Be sure to bookmark this site and check it out regularly! Each mineral specimen we add to this site is selected for its high quality, affordable price, and must be a specimen we would be willing to have in our personal collection. Enjoy your visit to H&P Minerals and Gems, and return often to watch our progress as we work to provide fine minerals to our collector friends.

Polly's Rhodochrosite (6 cm. x 4.5 cm. x 4.5 cm.) and Bunny, Sweet Home Mine, Alma, Colorado	Gold (10.7 grams), Eagles Nest Mine, Placer County, California	Wavellite, Mauldin Mt., Montgomery County, Arkansas - ex H. L. Prior collection

Our 100 year old home as viewed July 4th from Polly's new Gazebo	Rhodochrosite, Hedgehog Pocket, Sweet Home Mine, Alma, Colorado, formerly H. L. Prior collection, now in John Dagenais collection	Siderite (8.5 cm. x 6 cm. x 6 cm.), Verknee Mine, Dal'negorsk, Primorie. Russia - H.L. Prior Collection

WHO ARE H&P MINERALS AND GEMS: We are Harold (Hal) and Polly Prior, specializing in high quality minerals and Gemstones. We have been in business for almost 20 years - Primarily operating as show dealers, a short venture into mail order, and showing by appointment. After 31 years living in Texas we moved to Iowa (Hal's home town) in July of 1999. We feature thumbnail and miniature sized minerals, a small selection of unique faceted stones, and custom jewelry.

Hal obtained a B.S. degree in Geology from Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Hal has been collecting minerals for more than 40 years, and enjoys doing mineral location research. Hal's current collecting specialties are Thumbnail minerals from worldwide locations, and any size barite, stilbite, or prehnite specimen's.

Polly is an important newcomer to the business. Her specialty is the gemstones, with many unique locales (Orthoclase, Madagascar - Peridot, Vietnam, etc.). Polly also has custom jewelry made as to your particular needs, and will gladly search for that special stone. Polly has also developed an interest in minerals and collects mineral eggs for display as well as colorful minerals. Her favorite mineral is the Sweet Home mine rhodochrosite which occupies a prominent position in the curio cabinet, accompanied by a small rhodochrosite bunny. Mr. Bunny and the rhodo now appear on this page.

FEATURED MINERAL

May 15, 2007

QUARTZ GEODE - ST. FRANCISVILLE, MISSOURI: Living on the northern edge of the Keokuk geode region it is appropriate to feature a geode this month. This is one (21.5 centimeters by 16.5 centimeters) of the well known "Keokuk" geodes. Geodes are found the world over, however, in no other place on earth do they attain the great abundance and display the remarkable variety of minerals and crystal forms as the Keokuk geodes. Keokuk geodes are released by weathering from the outcrops of the Mississippian age lower Warsaw beds of southeast Iowa and adjacent states. Nearly all of the Keokuk geodes are found within a 75 mile radius of the intersection of the Mississippi and Des Moines rivers at Keokuk, Iowa in extreme southeast corner of Iowa. St. Francisville, Missouri is on the Iowa border and in the heart of the geode region. The mine at St. Francisville has now been closed for unknown reasons, however others nearby remain open. Click on the image to see enlarge view of right half. This one was sold in fall 2000

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Notes and Announcements: 

OUR RETAIL STORE IS NOW OPEN!! Our retail store is now open featuring both the Minerals and Collector Dolls @ 204 Main Street, Columbus Junction, Iowa, hours are Thursday-Friday 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 12 NOON. Other hours by appointment (319-728-4200).

HAVE A WANT LIST?: We have a large inventory of minerals. Only a minute portion will ever make it to the site. If there is a particular item you would like please contact us. We also would be more than happy to search for any item you would like. No obligation on your part. We will look for best quality, and best price available.

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Collections Wanted - We are always interested in acquiring collections and individual specimen lots.   If you are thinking of selling part or all of your collection, please contact me.  If you know of someone who is selling their collection please let me know!  We are particularly interested in midwestern collections or old Iowa material.

You can also find us at the following shows:

MARCH 13, 14, 15, 2009 - The Association of Earth Science Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Inc. Annual Show, Kansas City, Missouri

 

All images, text and content on this site are Copyright 2007 and are the property of Harold L. & Polly F. Prior, dba H&P Minerals and Gems, P.O Box 111, Columbus Junction, Iowa 52738. Images and text may be copied for your personal non-commercial use. If you are interested in using any pictures or text from this site for reasons other than personal you may contact us at our E-mail address, or at P.O. Box 111, Columbus Junction, Iowa 52738.