A YEAR BUILT BY COLLECTORS

As we close the year and look ahead to what’s coming next, one thing stands out clearly: EarthWonders exists because collectors chose to show up.

This past year wasn’t about chasing perfection or polishing a finished product. It was about building — tools, structure, knowledge, and trust — together with a growing community of people who care deeply about minerals and the stories behind them.

From the beginning, EarthWonders was shaped by a simple idea: the mineral world holds extraordinary knowledge and history, but much of it has lived across many places and personal experiences. EarthWonders set out to bring those elements together — not to replace what already exists, but to connect collections, knowledge, and people in a meaningful way.

Over the past year, that vision began to take form. Today, when someone searches for a mineral on EarthWonders, they can explore it in context — seeing historical prices, learning through shared Wiki articles, and discovering how other collectors engage with similar specimens. Pieces are no longer just admired; they are understood within a broader landscape of knowledge, provenance, and community.

Every upload, correction, comment, and shared photo helped shape what EarthWonders is becoming. The foundation is in place — what comes next will be shaped by the community.

THE WIKI — KNOWLEDGE BUILT TOGETHER

The EarthWonders Wiki grew significantly this year, becoming more structured, more connected, and more useful for collectors at every level.

Top Wiki Page by Contributions

• Rhodochrosite — 82 contributions

A standout example was the Rhodochrosite page created by Hannah Brodhagen, which became one of the most actively refined entries on the site. It shows what’s possible when knowledge is shared openly and built collaboratively.

The Wiki isn’t finished — and it never should be. Anyone is welcome to contribute by adding minerals, expanding localities, improving accuracy, or sharing reference material.

COLLECTORS WHO SHAPED THE PLATFORM

EarthWonders is only as strong as the people who contribute to it. This year, several collectors played a major role in shaping the platform.

Top Contributor by Specimens Published

• David Lucas — 342 specimens

Every upload, comment, correction, and conversation helped shape EarthWonders into a thoughtful, collector-driven space.

WHAT WE BUILT THIS YEAR

This year was about making mineral collecting easier to access, easier to understand, and easier to navigate — for collectors, sellers, and anyone discovering the hobby for the first time.

EarthWonders was built to bring data, knowledge, and the community into one place. By connecting collections, educational content, historical pricing, and provenance, the platform helps collectors better understand what they own, helps sellers present material with context, and helps new audiences move from curiosity to confidence without needing years of experience or insider knowledge.

Today EarthWonders brings together elements that rarely existed side by side

• Personal galleries and collections that show what collectors actually own

• A living, community-built Wiki that supports learning at every level

• Historical pricing, provenance, and ownership context

• The ability to search not only what’s for sale — but what exists across collections

Along the way, we made major improvements to navigation, discovery, long-form content, and overall user experience. Shops already existed, but this year they became clearer, cleaner, and better integrated — making it easier for sellers to present material transparently and for collectors to responsibly rotate specimens while preserving their history.

Together, these tools help make the mineral world more approachable and more understandable. Someone who has never seen a specimen beyond a photo can now explore minerals with context, while experienced collectors and sellers gain clearer ways to share, document, and place their pieces within the broader landscape of the hobby.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

What comes next depends on the community.

Here are ways you can help move EarthWonders forward:

• Upload specimens from your collection
• Contribute to Wiki pages or create new ones
• List your services or expertise
• Share mineral photo databases or reference material
• Help improve accuracy, localities, and provenance records

If you have knowledge, images, or data, this is the place for it. And if you’re not sure how to contribute, reach out — we’re happy to help.

LOOKING AHEAD — A NEW YEAR, NEW ENERGY

As the new year begins and Tucson approaches, the mineral world naturally shifts into motion. New finds, new collections, and new stories are about to surface.

EarthWonders will continue evolving alongside the hobby supporting collectors, preserving knowledge, and building tools that make minerals easier to explore, understand, and share.

A FINAL THANK YOU AND A NEW YEAR WISH

Thank you to every collector, contributor, and reader who helped make this year possible. EarthWonders is a living archive, shaped by the people who care about minerals and the journeys behind them.

We wish you a great New Year filled with discovery, curiosity, and great specimens.

The EarthWonders Team