How to trade

There is 3 ways to trade for rocks, minerals, crystals, gemstones and fossils. 1st way is trading by size, 2nd way is by value, and 3rd is a combination of both. The goal of trading is to try to get the item you like while making sure the other person is happy with what your offering.

1. By size, this is the easiest way but mostly used for common material (small or really large) 1 item for another item. In this example You own a fist size moonstone but want a quartz of equal size. So you talk to Joe and ask if he like to trade his quartz. If he does then you trade and both are happy.

2. By value. This is used when you really want a rare stone. is by trading 1 stone of equal or close to equal value. Example I have a $100 red beryl that Marie wants and she offers a $100 Tanzanite. This is also when you can use x amount of material to equal out the value of what you want.

3. Combination of value and size. This is great when trading bulk. This is where it's good to know a rough value of what you have and what the other person has (without asking). Now in this case. This can be one of the hardest ways to trade but when done right can quickly become a favorite especially at gemshows and flea markets. The 2 participants look at what each other has to offer and picks out what they interested in and then sit down negotiating trying to sweeten the deal until both size and value in each other opinions is fair and they agree. Example. I come with a 50 quartz, 20.ruby various sizes and 16 garnet. Logan com with $200 shark tooth, small red beryl, 3 tourmaline, 10 various sizes moonstone, 7 turquoise. I really like Logan's red beryl and tourmalines while Logan really likes 2 of my quartz and all rubies and 12 Garnets. We both agree that it's not fair deal so negotiating starts. I remove 2 rubies from my pile and replace with garnet and another large quartz and ask what he thinks, Logan says no and removes the red beryl and replace with shark tooth and says how is that. This continues with adding or subtracting stones from pile until we agree that it's fair. In this case you could get things you might not have been interested in but was needed to equal out to make trade fair. But you do try to get as much of what you wanted from each other. In this example he could say one ruby, all garnet and 10 quartz could equal his shark tooth all his tourmaline and some turquoise if I agree then we trade.

my examples are just examples

also is when trading for rough. Never ever try trading tumble material for rough. There is a lot of rock and minerals traders who consider tumble material as low grade and look down at it. Also be respectful when trading don't intentionally step on toes by like offering for example ( a cheap agate for a expensive Tanzanite ). Also be respectful of your trading partner and realize they have a collection too and knows what he or she or they need. Lastly have fun.