How to read an EarthStones specimen page
Every specimen page follows the same order, so once you know what to look for, you can read any listing quickly — whether you're comparing ten pieces or deciding on one.
Identity and Item ID
The mineral name comes first, with any associated mineral named alongside it (for example "Crocoite with Gibbsite"). Every specimen also carries an Item ID — a short code like EA10711 — which is how we refer to that exact piece in our own records. If you ever contact us about a specimen, quoting the Item ID is the fastest way to make sure we're talking about the same one.
Locality
We record locality as specifically as our source information allows — mine, district, region and country, in that order where known. A specific mine attribution (rather than just a country or state) is usually what makes a specimen useful for a locality collection, so we keep that detail rather than simplifying it away.
Dimensions, weight and size class
Measurements are given as length × width × height in millimetres, with weight in grams. The size class (Thumbnail, Miniature, Small Cabinet, Cabinet, Large Cabinet) is worked out directly from the longest dimension using fixed thresholds — it's a convenience for browsing, not a separate judgement call.
Condition and provenance
Where we know about repairs, stabilisation, or other treatment, we say so. Where a specimen has a documented former collection — a named collector or an earlier dealer — we record that as part of its history. A collection name is evidence of where a piece has been, not a claim about the mineral itself.
Price and photos
The price shown is the current asking price in AUD, read live from our store rather than baked into the page — so it's never stale. The photo gallery shows the actual specimen you'd receive, including, where one exists, a photograph of its original collection label.
That's the whole structure: identity, locality, measurements, condition, price, photos. Everything else on the page is description — useful context, but the facts above are what to check first.