Ideal Christmas Gifts for Your Favorite Rock, Fossil, and Mineral Collector

A rock collector is a wide ranging term that can apply to those who collect not only rocks, but fossils and minerals as well. This guide to eight great gift ideas for your favorite rock hound will enhance your giving of Christmas gifts this season.

First, let us look at some of the basic tools used in the field collection of specimens of any kind. One tool required of any proficient collector is a rock hammer. This style of hammer looks like a normal hammer, except instead of the 'claw' used for pulling nails; these hammers either have a point or a flat chisel type end. The chisel type is also known as a brick layers hammer and the pointed end model is also called a rock pick. Both are available at most hardware stores. To make this a complete Christmas present, add a hammer holder to wear on a belt.

The hand lens is also a must for field (and home) use. This is a small magnifying glass, most commonly 10 power (10X). This lens, called a loupe by jewelers, is important to get a close up view of any specimen that you find in the field. Most folks in the field wear their hand lens on a thong around their neck for quick access. Many styles and prices are available, and some loupes come with a built in LED light. Miners Inc.

Next on the Christmas gift list for the geologist is a good quality field notebook. A true rock hound will keep good notes about each day in the field, as well as documenting where each 'find' was discovered. Again, a variety of styles are available, but the notebook has to be fairly substantial in construction in order to survive a hard day's collecting. Miners Inc.

A collection bag is next on the list. The field is wide open here. My suggestion is to forgo an expensive bag. Head to the nearest Army Surplus store, and buy a surplus bag of some kind. Make sure it has a strap for carrying over the shoulder. Backpacks are not really good for collecting, as when your geologist is on a rock outcrop, he or she will want the bag available on the hip to drop specimens into.

Another great Christmas present for the rock hound is a Geologic map of the area where field trips will occur. They are available from your State Geological Survey or from USGS Maps.

Another great resource for the fossil hunter on your gift list is the classic Audubon Society's Field Guide to North American Fossils. This volume contains over 470 full color pictures, maps, and listings of Geological Survey offices in both the US and Canada. Get started hunting fossils with this great gift idea! MamasMinerals.com

Even though most collectors prefer to find their own specimens, anybody will appreciate the Christmas present of a fine specimen. Perhaps one of the most well known and readily available fossil specimens is that of the genus Knightia fossil fish from Wyoming. This herring like fresh water fish lived in the Eocene Epoch of the Tertiary period, about 50 million years ago. Thousands of these perfectly preserved fish have been collected from the Lincoln County, Wyoming sites. They are available in various sizes and prices. One source is MamasMinerals.com.

Specimens of mineral crystals also make great Christmas gifts. If the rock collector you are shopping for is more interested in minerals as opposed to fossils, a nice crystal makes a great gift. There are many sources, including local rock shops and online at sites such as Pixiecrystals.com

Have your own adventure as you find the perfect gift for your rock collector. Any of the Christmas gift ideas listed above will thrill the recipient. Who knows, you may get bitten by the 'rock hound bug' and purchase some of these items for yourself!