Welcome to the Polman Mineral Reverse Auction!

Here is how it works:

Specimens listed on this page will have a starting price and a starting date. If you like the specimen, you may buy it outright at the starting price listed, or wait as the auction progresses. Remember, it is first come first served, so if you want the specimen, you have to email or call immediately. 

Periodically (it could be any number of days), we will reduce the price of that specimen. The new price and date will be listed beneath the starting price. Even if you are on the Polman Minerals email list, you will not be notified of this reduction. The amount of reduction will be totally arbitrary. As the price gets lower and lower, more and more people will want the specimen. Once it reaches a price that you are willing to pay for the specimen, email immediately and purchase it!  Once a specimen has been purchased, it will be marked as sold.

The strategy for a reverse auction is to find a specimen you would like to own, and watch the auction page constantly. We suggest you bookmark the auction page, and check it out at least daily. Remember, there could be many other people watching the same specimen. Only emails or calls made after the new price is posted will qualify. There is no pre-bidding (in other words, no emails saying you will purchase the specimen when it reaches a certain price). 

We guarantee quality specimens will be posted on this page, and the price will be lowered and lowered until they are sold (regardless of the price)! A reverse auction is great way to get quality specimens cheaply, and can be a lot of fun in the process. As always, the customer is responsible for shipping and insurance costs. Let us know if you have any questions or comments about our new Reverse Auction page. 

Let the fun begin!!

For quick email access to purchase a specimen, you may click here.

White Light

Midrange Ultraviolet

RA-242 SOLD

RA-242 SOLD 

Name: Calcite, Apatite
Location: County Road #4, Near Wilberforce, Ontario, Canada.
Size: 5.5 x 4 x 1.5-inches
Notes: This is a nice specimen consisting of a salmon pink colored calcite with green apatite. Under midrange ultraviolet the calcite fluoresces a bright red and the apatite fluoresces a grayish blue color. The combination is really unique, making these specimens a must have for a fluorescent mineral collection. Although the calcite and apatite will fluoresce under shortwave ultraviolet, it is best under midrange.

Starting Price:  $85.00 (9/2/10) SOLD 

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-243 SOLD

RA-243 SOLD

Name: Bertrandite, Chalcedony, Opal
Location: Brush Beryllium Mine, Juab County, Utah.
Size: 4 x 4 x 2-inches
Notes: The Brush Beryllium Mine is known to produce specimens containing bertrandite, which is an alteration product of beryl. Bertrandite is also a major source of beryllium at this mine. In specimens from this mine, the bertrandite is found in association with chalcedony and opal. All three fluoresce green, so it is hard to distinguish the bertrandite.  According to Manual Robbins, the bertrandite at this mine is found as very small bladed crystals, that can range from colorless to white, or in some cases pale yellow. This is a fluorescent mineral species you don’t encounter very often. 

Starting Price:  $45.00 (9/2/10) SOLD    

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-244

RA-244

Name: Willemite, Calcite, Hardystonite
Location: Franklin Mine, Franklin, New Jersey.
Size: 4 x 2.5 x 2-inches
Notes: Here is a three color specimen from the famous Franklin Mine in Franklin New Jersey. The willemite fluoresces bright green, the calcite bright red and the hardystonite (found only at the Franklin Mine) bright purple.   

Starting Price:  $45.00 (9/2/10)
Reduced Price: $43.00 (9/3/10)      

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-231 SOLD

RA-231 SOLD

Midrange Ultraviolet

RA-231 SOLD

Name: Wollastonite
Location: Fengjiashan Mine, Hubei Province, China.
Size: 7 x 2 x 1-inches
Notes: This specimen contains solid white bladed crystals of wollastonite. Under shortwave and longwave ultraviolet, the wollastonite fluoresces a medium yellow (with varying intensities) as well as patches of lavender.  The medium yellow fluorescence is caused by a manganese activator, with lead as a co-activator.  Under midrange ultraviolet, the specimen exhibits a great color change.  Under midrange ultraviolet, the wollastonite fluoresces a pinkish lavender color, with some zones of purple.  It is most likely a rare earth activator that causes this midrange color response.

Starting Price:  $65.00 (8/11/10)
Reduced Price:  $63.00 (8/12/10)
Reduced Price:  $60.00 (8/13/10)
Reduced Price:  $58.00 (8/16/10)
Reduced Price:  $56.00 (8/17/10)
Reduced Price:  $54.00 (8/18/10)
Reduced Price:  $52.00 (8/19/10)
Reduced Price:  $50.00 (8/20/10)
Reduced Price:  $48.00 (8/23/10)
Reduced Price:  $46.00 (8/24/10)
Reduced Price:  $44.00 (8/26/10)
Reduced Price:  $40.00 (9/2/10) SOLD      

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-245

RA-245

Name: Scheelite
Location: Franklin Mine, Franklin, New Jersey.
Size: 4 x 1.5 x 1.5-inches
Notes: This is a nice fairly rich specimen of fluorescing scheelite from the famous Franklin Mine in Franklin, New Jersey. Although you don’t see it often for sale, scheelite is found in this great mineral deposit. The fluorescent response (creamy yellow) appears to be more like powellite, but when I purchased this specimen years ago, it was labeled scheelite. Analysis of the specimen would have to be conducted to make a 100% id, but in either case, whether it’s scheelite or powellite, you have a hard to get specimen here. This one would make a great addition to a comprehensive Franklin collection. 

Starting Price:  $75.00 (9/2/10)
Reduced Price: $72.00 (9/3/10)

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-246

RA-246

Name: Tremolite, Phlogopite
Location: Franklin Quarry, Franklin, New Jersey.
Size: 3 x 2.5 x 2-inches
Notes: This is a specimen containing two fluorescent minerals from the famous Franklin Marble. The tremolite blades fluoresce a bright bluish white and the phlogopite fluoresces a medium yellow.

Starting Price:  $40.00 (9/2/10)
Reduced Price: $38.00 (9/3/10)

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-247 SOLD

RA-247 SOLD

Name: Svabite, Calcite
Location: Langban, Filipstad, Varmland, Sweden.
Size: 6 x 5 x 3-inches
Notes: Here is a two color display size specimen from the famous Langban, Sweden location. This specimen contains the yellow orange fluorescing mineral svabite, along with the orange red fluorescing calcite. The two minerals are intermixed, making the specimen quite aesthetic. 

Starting Price:  $125.00 (9/2/10) SOLD 

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-239

RA-239

Name: Wollastonite, Calcite
Location: Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, New Jersey.
Size: 6 x 5 x 3-inches
Notes: This is a display size specimen that is pretty rich with the yellow fluorescing wollastonite from the famous Sterling Hill Mine. This particular find contained calcite that was not as bright as in other areas of the mine. The fluorescent response is more of a medium red rather than the bright red that people are used to seeing from Sterling Hill. My guess is that the manganese content is not optimum for the bright red response. The specimen still has an aesthetic quality to it, with the bright yellow wollastonite contrasting with the medium red calcite.  This material was collected after the mine was shut down in 1985, and prior to the mine flooding.

Starting Price:  $150.00 (8/23/10)
Reduced Price:  $145.00 (8/24/10)
Reduced Price:  $140.00 (8/26/10)
Reduced Price:  $135.00 (9/2/10)
Reduced Price:  $130.00 (9/3/10)

White Light

Shortwave Ultraviolet

RA-233

RA-233

Name: Willemite, Hardystonite, Clinohedrite, Bustamite
Location: Franklin Mine, Franklin, New Jersey.
Size: 3.5 x 3 x 2-inches
Notes: This is a specimen from the famous Franklin Mine in New Jersey. This specimen is mostly willemite, with some hardystonite and clinohedrite. The specimen also has some bustamite and andradite as well (see white light photograph). Under longwave ultraviolet light, the bustamite is fluorescent crimson red, but not very bright. As you may know, brightly fluorescent bustamite from Franklin is rare, and commands a high price. For someone just looking for a specimen with some fluorescent bustamite on it, this piece is perfect. 

Starting Price:  $65.00 (8/11/10)
Reduced Price: $63.00 (8/12/10)
Reduced Price: $60.00 (8/13/10)
Reduced Price: $57.00 (8/16/10)
Reduced Price: $55.00 (8/17/10)
Reduced Price: $53.00 (8/18/10)
Reduced Price: $51.00 (8/19/10)
Reduced Price: $49.00 (8/20/10)
Reduced Price: $47.00 (8/23/10)
Reduced Price: $45.00 (8/24/10)
Reduced Price: $43.00 (8/26/10)
Reduced Price: $41.00 (9/2/10)
Reduced Price: $39.00 (9/3/10)