Photos: 2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Showcase
Vendors are prepping their booths as several gem shows, and the official ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase, are set to open this week.
Photos by Mike Christy / ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Matthew Schmalz browses through polished agate geodes as he's framed by a slice of amethyst quartz in the Western Woods tent at the Riverpark Inn.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Scott Sprencz, right, and Ed Kloehn, haul in an onyx luminary for the "Art of Decor Onyx" booth at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 22nd Street Mineral and Fossil Show.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Dan Owens, left, and his dad Mike leaf unbox items for sale at the Madagascar Specimens booth.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Carlos Cantu, top, gets a boost from Xander Nakamoto as they team up to hang signage for the Mineralphil Madagascar booth.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Tanita Ross-Cody sets out druzy stones at the Stone Styles booth.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Trevor Tillung hauls in a hand truck full of Moroccan wares at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 22nd Street Mineral and Fossil Show.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Mike Pendle, from the United Kingdom, scrutinizes a quart point at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 22nd Street Mineral and Fossil Show.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Amethyst quartz crystals shine in the Western Woods tent at the Pueblo Gem and Mineral Show at the Riverpark Inn.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Connie Liu, from Los Angeles, hangs pearl necklaces at her Pearl Creations Trading booth at the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 22nd Street Mineral and Fossil Show.
2018 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase
Skip Pedersen, of Cornish, N.H., examines a hunk of amethyst quartz at the Western Woods tent at the Pueblo Gem and Mineral Show at the Riverpark Inn.
Stolen art pieces from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s gem and mineral show in 2013 were recently recovered, officials say.
The annual Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase happily overtakes ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ about this time every year.
Food costs, wage hike make it hard to offer deals, owners say.Â
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s largest, oldest and most prestigious gem and mineral show — the one that set everything in motion — starts today, Thursday, Feb. 8, a…