A special thank you to Nancy Millard:
On June 27th 2009 Nancy spoke at the Gilsum show about mineral collecting in New England. While collectors were shaking their heads in agreement with her stories from the field, people who were new to the hobby said they gained a new respect for what's involved in mining and collecting specimens throughout the Northeast.
Nancy Millard has been involved as a miner, dealer, public speaker, and college Instructor for almost twenty years. She was a full time miner of Herkimer Diamonds, traveling around the country participating in the most prodigeous shows. She has been on radio, television and has been in Rock and Mineral Magazine. She has been a featured speaker for the East Coast Gem and Mineral Show for the last 8 year and is a member of the Rhode Island Mineral Hunters. Currently she is the Show Chair and the vice president of the club. As if her plate isn't full enough, she also has a natural science shop in Portsmouth, Rhode Island called Natures!
What can you find in Gilsum? See these photos from a local collector.
What People are Saying About the 2009 Gilsum Rock Swap
" I know just by the feel when something is run very well. And all I can say is wow."
Michael Walsh, Dino Distributors
Previous years
Listen to this New Hampshire Public Radio Audio Postcard from the 2006 Gilsum Rock Swap.
About the Gilsum Rock Swap
The town of Gilsum, located in the scenic Monadnock Region in southwestern NH, will once again host 6,000 - 8,000 people from all over the U.S. who will attend the Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show. Here more than 70 dealers, swappers, distributors, and collectors can buy, sell, or swap beryl, quartz crystals, semi-precious stones, and rocks and minerals of all sorts. Displays range from newly found specimens in the rough to fossils, prized collector’s pieces and even hand crafted jewelry.
This year’s event will include a special presentation. The presentation will be held Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Elementary School auditorium immediately following the annual Ham and Bean dinner.
The event takes place at the Gilsum Elementary School fields, Route 10 in Gilsum, just north of Keene, NH, and is about 2 hours from Boston. Show hours are 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Saturday and 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Sunday. The Gilsum Rock Swap is truly a community event with more than 60 people volunteering at the show. That number rises to more than 100 when one includes all the volunteers that bake home made beans and pies for the annual Ham and Bean Supper.
Gilsum’s many mines operated until the 1940s and yielded feldspar, mica and beryl. Most are now abandoned, although one, the Beauregard mine, is available to mineral clubs through prior arrangement. Today collectors prize other minerals such as beryl. Maps showing locations of local mines are available during the show.
Since the show’s inception, the town of Gilsum has opened its doors for the event. Activities include a daily pancake brunch, bake sale, book sale, chicken barbeque dinner, and a traditional Saturday night New England ham and bean supper with all you can eat home-made pies.
Admission is free, although donations are graciously accepted. All proceeds go to youth recreation and community programs.
Local Interest
See the exploits of local collector Tom Chandler and friends, including photos, at Tom's Web site.