In my early days of collecting stones, I found myself eagerly researching bookstores and the internet to learn all that I could. I browsed every retail store far and wide, looking for the next unique specimen to add to my collection. But just as my own interest was hooked, so was my wallet. High-quality stones were not only rare to come by, but were difficult to afford.
Still, I continued to build my private collection as well as my knowledge of every new mineral I could get my hands (and eyes) on.