Help Center
Guides for buying, selling, adding specimens and taking part in the EarthWonders community.
For Sellers
Buying & selling safely in chat
Send seller offers, understand who can receive them, and keep payments protected on EarthWonders.
Keep payments on EarthWonders · Send an offer in chat · Who you can send offers to · For buyers · If something feels off
Create an Order from Multiple Listings
Bundle several listings into one order with a single shipping charge and one payment link.
Open Seller tools · Select published listings · Review the order details · Save a draft or create the order · Send the payment link
Customer Service
Great service earns trust, reviews, and repeat business.
What good looks like · The fundamentals · When a buyer is unhappy · Messaging do's and don'ts · Common questions
EarthWonders API for developers
Sync your dealer inventory automatically. Upload specimens in batches — schema, sample code, and interactive reference included.
How it works · Authentication & keys · Limits & fair use · What the pipeline fills in for you · Quick start · API reference
Getting Started Selling
Set up your collection for sale: create your account, add specimens, and set up listings.
From zero to listed · Get your collection seen · Common questions
How a Sale Works
From "Buy now" to payout: who does what at every step, what both sides see, and where to do it.
Buy and pay · Pack, ship, and add tracking · Confirm you received it · Leave a review · Get paid · Variations on the flow
Photography Tips
Two simple setups and the four shots every listing needs.
Two setups, both fine · The four shots every listing needs · Technique, briefly · Do's and don'ts · Common questions
Pricing Your Items
Rarity, aesthetics, provenance — and how to research what actually sold.
The four factors · Research sold, not asking · Pricing do's and don'ts · Common questions
Seller Payouts
How and when you are paid — PayPal, the monthly schedule, the tax form, and what is deducted.
How you are paid · When a sale is paid · Before your first payout · What is deducted
Sending and Managing Seller Offers
Offer one of your specimens to a collector in chat, agree on a price, and complete the sale on EarthWonders.
Who you can send an offer to · The Offers from sellers setting · Sending an offer · Negotiating and completing the sale · Common questions
Shipping & Handling
Get your specimens to buyers safely. Pack like it's going to a museum — because to someone, it is.
From sold to shipped · The five layers · Keep on hand · Insurance · Packing do's and don'ts · Common questions
Writing Great Descriptions
Compelling, informative descriptions that build trust with serious collectors and drive sales.
Anatomy of a description that sells · Say it like a collector · Never leave these out · Common questions
For Buyers
Alerts, Bookmarks & Following
Get told when a matching specimen is listed, follow collectors and sellers, and keep the pieces you love one click away.
Follow collectors and sellers · Your Following feed · Bookmarks · Specimen alerts · Likes and comments · Common questions
Care & Storage
Protect and display your collection — preservation and presentation.
The four habits · Minerals that need special handling · Cleaning: gentle, then stop · Common questions
How a Sale Works
What happens after you pay: confirmation, shipping with tracking, and your specimen landing in your collection.
Buy and pay · Pack, ship, and add tracking · Confirm you received it · Leave a review · Variations on the flow
How to Buy
Finding, evaluating, and purchasing geological specimens safely and confidently.
What protects you · Smart buying habits · Common questions
Making and Answering Offers
Propose your own price, negotiate with counters, and check out once you agree.
Making an offer · Answering offers as a seller · Common questions
Ownership & Provenance
Specimen documentation, ownership tracking, and value preservation through record keeping.
Why the story matters · An ownership ledger, read aloud · What complete documentation includes · Common questions
Returns & Refunds
We aim to make returns rare — but when they're needed, we keep it simple.
Document as you go · The refund, precisely · Common questions
Specimen Authenticity
What to look for when evaluating specimens and how we support authenticity.
Three signals of a trustworthy listing · Green flags vs. red flags · How to verify before you buy · Common questions
Creating & Sharing
Adding Specimens
Bring photographs, locality, and history together in a record you can keep private or share.
A place for your specimen · What a photograph cannot tell you · Keeping its history with the piece · A personal record or a shared collection · A record you can return to
Posts & Blog Articles
When a short post is enough and when a blog article gives you more room.
What would you like to share? · A post starts a conversation · A blog article gives a story room · When you are ready for readers
Community
Blocking a Member
Stop all contact with another member in two clicks — and undo it at any time.
Block someone from their profile · What blocking changes · See who you've blocked, and unblock · Block or report? · Common questions
Community Guidelines
EarthWonders is a community of passionate collectors. How to keep things safe and positive for everyone.
Three principles · In practice · Common questions
Contribute to EarthWonders
Join as a community moderator, content contributor, database builder, or API integrator.
Community Moderators · Content Contributors · Database Builders · API & Store Integrators
Contributing Edits & Wiki Guides
Improve specimen records whose owners are not on EarthWonders, review a duplicate merge, and edit species and locality guides.
Improve an unclaimed specimen · If we find a duplicate of your specimen · Edit a species or locality guide · Version history · Common questions
Exploring EarthWonders
Find your way around: species pages, market data, the collectors map, events, services, sharing, and the newsletter.
Species pages and Market Data · The collectors map · Events and services · The guides library · Share a specimen or post · Newsletter · Common questions
Safety & Security
How EarthWonders protects buyers and sellers — and how to protect yourself.
Vet a seller in sixty seconds · If something feels wrong · Common questions
Your Account
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