šµ Tucson Mineral Show 2026 ā The Adventure Begins
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Time to read 6 min
Every year, Tucson callsā¦ and every year I answer.
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This trip was all about hunting down exciting new fossils, meteorites, and minerals for the store, our markets, and the online shop ā and of course seeing whatās new and trending in the mineral world. Tucson is where the global mineral community gathers, and if you want to know what collectors will be talking about for the next yearā¦ this is where you find it.
But before the treasure hunting even started ā the adventure threw me a curveball.
ā Travel Drama Before I Even Left
I was supposed to fly out on Sunday, 25 January 2026.
Then on Saturdayā¦ notification.
Flight cancelled.
Severe storms over the US East Coast.
Nothing like a little pre-trip chaos to get things started.
After some quick reshuffling, I was rebooked for Tuesday evening, 27 January, returning 7 February. Not idealā¦ but Tucson would just have to wait a little longer.
Last year I stayed at the Red Lion Inn & Suites (right in the middle of the Globex Gem & Mineral Show action), but this time I decided to try something different and booked an Airbnb in Tucson.
The journey itself was long but smooth ā about 16 hours from Cape Town to Atlanta, a 4-hour layover, then another 4 hours to Tucson. Surprisingly, passport control was lightning fast ā maybe five minutes. Probably the quickest US entry Iāve ever experienced.
And just like thatā¦ I was in mineral heaven.
š Day 1 ā Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Arrival, first walk-throughsā¦ and grocery prices
I landed in Tucson around 12:35pm, grabbed an Uber, and headed straight to the Airbnb. After unpacking and settling in, there was no way I was going to sit still ā so off I went to Mineral City.
First stop:Ā Paul Botha Minerals.
Paul was thereā¦ but his shipment from South Africa wasnāt. Tucson logistics at work. Stock was still on the way but good news it was out for delivery so lots of work waiting for Paul.
I wandered around Mineral City and the Fossil Co-op to see what was shaping up, but most traders were still setting up. The official opening was only the next day, so it felt like walking through a giant mineral theatre just before curtain call.
Back to the Airbnbā¦ then a grocery run at Safeway nearby.
Two observations:
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Prices were definitely higher than in 2025
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Self-checkout is oddly satisfying
Jet lag plus travel fatigue finally caught up with me. Dinner, planning the next dayās strategyā¦ and straight to bed.
Treasure hunting would begin properly tomorrow.
š Day 2 ā Thursday, 29 January 2026
Amber discoveries, meteorites, and unexpected wildlife
Coffee first. Always.
Then I walked to the Days Inn, home of the Fossil & Mineral Alley Show, which had come alive overnight. Sellers were set up, tables full, energy buzzing ā now it felt like Tucson.
By the fourth tent, I struck goldā¦ or rather, amber.
Two dealers from Taiwan specialising in Myanmar amber welcomed me in and spent time explaining its history and origins. They handed me a magnifier and special light so I could hunt for insect inclusions myself ā like a prehistoric treasure hunt inside tiny golden windows of time.
After choosing my pieces, they surprised me with a gift ā a beautiful piece of amber for my personal collection ā and even emailed me a PDF of a stunning amber reference book filled with incredible inclusion photographs.
An unforgettable start to the day.
ā Meteorites and Woolly Rhino Teeth
Next stop: my meteorite supplier.
Some stock was still in transit, but there was already an excellent selection.
I picked up Campo del Cielo and Aletai meteorites, ranging from 16g to 55g ā perfect collector sizes.
While exploring the rest of the venue, I spotted something unexpectedā¦ smaller, more affordable Woolly Rhino teeth. Iād planned to buy some later at the 22nd Street show, but these were too good to pass up ā so two came home with me immediately.
š The āNot Pigsā
Walking along the Santa Cruz River toward the Red Lion Inn, I saw animals that looked exactly like wild pigs wandering around.
Theyāre called Javelinas ā and surprisingly, theyāre more closely related to camels and hippos than pigs.
Tucson always keeps things interesting.
āØ Fairy Stones & Labradorite Lions
At the Red Lion Inn, I reconnected with familiar faces from Morocco, Australia, Peru ā one of the things I love most about Tucson is how international it feels.
I was also thrilled to see my friends from Blue Gems and ZA Minerals.
While walking the show, I discovered a Canadian seller offering Fairy Stones ā naturally formed calcified sand concretions. Flat, greyish-white, beautifully organicā¦ completely fascinating. I bought a selection immediately.
Then I visited one of my must-see carving vendors and found something special ā a Labradorite carving of a lionās head. Absolutely stunning. Into the collection it went.
Back home, dinner, planningā¦ and sleep came easily despite the 9-hour time difference. Walking and shopping all day is the best cure for jet lag.
Arriving at Days Inn
š¦“ Day 3 ā Friday, 30 January 2026
Heavy fossils, generous people, hidden amberā¦ and electric scooters
Coffee and a light breakfast at homeā¦ then Uber back to the Red Lion to meet Moroccan suppliers.
After catching up, business began.
I purchased shark teeth and Mosasaur teeth ā beautiful specimensā¦ and very heavy once packed. Thankfully my friends Omer and David from Blue Gems kindly offered to store the boxes in their hotel room.
One of the fascinating things about the hotel shows is how trading happens. Ground-floor rooms become mini shops. Some sellers display outside. Others remove furniture entirely and build full showrooms inside. Itās like a mineral marketplace woven through a hotel.
š¤ Trust in Business
Next stop: Motel 6 and Quality Inn ā part of the Globex Shows.
I visited a Moroccan dealer I met last year. After catching up, I bought more fossils. When I asked him to hold a box of trilobites because Iād run out of cash, he offered to give me the money and let me pay later.
He packed everything into my wagon (on loan from ZA Minerals) and simply said he wants me to succeed.
Moments like that remind me why Sharon and I always believe in ethical business and respect. When you treat people well ā they look after you too.
ā Coffee Mission & Hidden Baltic Amber
Then on to the Ramada Inn, home of the Pueblo Minerals Show.
Main goals:
ā See whatās new
ā Check for things I bought in 2025
ā Get a Pingado from Your Coffee Guy (best Portuguese-style coffee ever)
But Tucson always surprises you.
I wandered into a room Iād never noticed beforeā¦ and found a Polish vendor selling Baltic amber. Even better ā amber pendants with insect inclusions.
I bought several. The dealer told me to return another day to meet his mother ā the family amber expert.
That story continues laterā¦
š“ Scooter Adventures
By late afternoon I dropped heavier purchases at my now-official central hub ā Red Lion ā and waited for a friend from the UK to collect a parcel. That meant time for a late lunch at Carlās Jr.
Too tired to walk homeā¦ so I tried something new.
A Lime electric scooter.
Scan the QR code, push off, accelerateā¦ and fly silently through Tucson. Park it, take a photo, done.
Honestlyā¦ ridiculously fun.
ā End of Day 3 Reflection
By the end of Day 3, I felt incredibly satisfied.
Most of the essential, smaller, must-have purchases were done. The foundation was in place. Now the next phase begins:
ā Finding new and unusual things
ā Completing the serious buying list
ā Hunting the big discoveries
Saturday was going to be intense.
Soā¦ early night. Big treasure hunting ahead.
As I crawled into bed that night, I knew the real hunt was only just beginning. The first three days had been about settling in, finding my rhythm, and securing the essential pieces ā the reliable finds I had planned for months. But now Tucson was fully alive. The serious dealers had arrived, the rare specimens were starting to surface, and the real negotiations were about to begin. The next few days would be bigger, busier, and far more unpredictableā¦ the kind of days where you stumble across something extraordinary when you least expect it. And somewhere out there, among thousands of tables and millions of years of Earthās history, were the pieces I hadnāt even imagined yet ā waiting to be discovered.
Sights from Tucson neighborhoods
