mid-ohio mineral and fossil club

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Join Us for the 2026 Gem, Mineral, Jewelry, Bead, & Fossil Show!

Mark your calendars for the Mid-Ohio Mineral & Fossil Club’s annual show, happening June 6th and 7th at the Richland County Fairgrounds! This year’s special theme is “Mineral Oddities & Pseudomorphs,” making it the perfect follow-up for anyone fascinated by our recent dive into the science of fossil replacements.

 

Whether you are a seasoned collector or looking for a fun family outing, there is something for everyone. Come browse our quality dealers, watch live demonstrations, and try your hand at geode breaking! We will have hourly door prizes, silent auctions, and a dedicated Kid Activity Zone to inspire the next generation of rockhounds.

We can’t wait to see you in Mansfield this June!

Come to the 2026 Mid-Ohio Mineral & Fossil Club Gem, Mineral, Jewelry, Bead, and Fossil Show

Richland County Fairgrounds.
Fairhaven Hall
750 North Home Road
Mansfield, Ohio 44903

GET DIRECTIONS

JUNE 6TH AND 7TH

Saturday 10AM – 6PM
Sunday 11AM – 5PM

Admission
Adults $5.00
Seniors $4.00
Children 6-16 $3.00
Children 5 & under – FREE
Scouts in Uniform – FREE

A promotional flyer for the "Gem, Mineral, Jewelry, Bead, & Fossil Show 2026" highlighting "Mineral Oddities & Pseudomorphs." The center displays the dates June 6-7, with Saturday hours from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM. The event features quality dealers, hourly door prizes, a grand prize drawing, geode breaking, demonstrations, hourly silent auctions, and a kid activity zone. It is located at the Richland County Fairgrounds, Fairhaven Hall, 750 North Home Road, Mansfield, Ohio. Admission prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for children 6-16, and free for children 5 and under or scouts in uniform. The show is sponsored by the Mid-Ohio Mineral & Fossil Club, with contact information for Tom Kottyan at 419-561-3595 and the website midohiomineralandfossilclub.com. The flyer includes several images of distinct mineral specimens and a fossilized ammonite.

Meet Our 2026 Show Vendors

We are thrilled to showcase an exceptional lineup of vendors for this year’s show. From master lapidary artists and local fossil collectors to experts in worldwide minerals and jewelry design, our exhibitors offer a diverse selection of treasures to suit every interest.

Whether you are hunting for a rare display piece, seeking unique supplies for your own craft, or looking for that perfect gift, take a moment to explore the talented individuals and businesses joining us at the Richland County Fairgrounds this June 6th and 7th.

    • Accent on Nature Angela sells amethyst, malachite, lapis, polished items, fossils, meteorites, petrified wood, copper, and children’s items.

    • Beauties of Creation Bill and Linda sell affordable to museum-quality mineral and fossil specimens, as well as ruler mounts, jewelry, and meteorites.

    • Chris Miller Chris demonstrates and sells the art of producing Native American-style artifacts.

    • Dave’s Rocks and Carvings Dave sells polished stones, minerals ranging from small specimens to very large carvings, and tumbled stones.

    • Gold Panners Association Randy demonstrates gold panning and sells related equipment. He is also available to talk to customers about their Labor Day Open House in Belleville.

    • Jay Medici Jay specializes in self-collected mineral specimens from the Midwest. He also carries lapidary material and faceted gemstones.

    • Joe Vasicko Joe sells very affordable, self-collected minerals, primarily from Ohio locations.

    • Judy’s Jewelry and Gems She makes her own cabochons and wraps them in either sterling silver or copper. She is also available to wrap your cabochons at the show.

    • Kristin’s Krystals Kristin and her husband, Mark, sell polished materials, including agates and jaspers. They also offer a variety of worldwide minerals.

    • Lawrence Hall Lawrence sells worldwide minerals, spheres, agates, jewelry, and more.

    • Mannings Rock Shop Michael and his son, Mike, sell over 125 types of tumbled stones, medium-to-large tumbled stones, and a wide variety of mineral and fossil specimens.

    • Nayab Gems and Minerals Amjad sells rough gemstones, mineral specimens, jewelry, and more.

    • Peacock Rocks Adrian sells tumbled stones, mineral specimens, fossils, jewelry, stone crafts, prehistoric toys, and rocks.

    • Russell’s Trees and Treasures They sell various types of gem trees, beads, lapidary supplies, and more.

    • Starstuff Rocks James sells polished agates and jaspers, along with various types of worldwide minerals.

    • The Fossil Place Jen sells everything from affordable to museum-grade fossils. She is sharing her booth with Kendra, who represents the Indiana Dinosaur Museum; they also sell fossils and kid-friendly material.

    • The Mineral House Tom sells worldwide minerals, fluorescent minerals, and lights. Pam sells animal carvings made from various stones and specializes in animals carved from moose antler.

minerals on table

Display Items

Fossils are the preserved remains of plants and animals whose bodies were buried in sediments, such as sand and mud, under ancient seas, lakes and rivers. Fossils also include any preserved trace of life that is typically more than 10 000 years old.

Geodes on display

Geodes are spherical or egg-shaped rocks that contain hollow cavities lined with crystals. The name geode comes from the Greek word Geoides, which means “earthlike”.

 

minerals and fossils on display

Amethyst Crystal Geodes

Amethyst is crystalline quartz in colors ranging from pale lilac to deep reddish purple. With a relatively high hardness of 7, the February birthstone is a fine facetable jewelry gem for all purposes. Lower grades of material can be cabbed, carved, and made into a great variety of beads and other ornamental objects.

Mid-Ohio Mineral & Fossil Club Spotlight:The Science of Pseudomorphs with Tom Kottyan

Join Tom Kottyan for an in-depth presentation on the fascinating world of fossil replacements, pseudomorphs, and mineral oddities, recorded live at a Mid-Ohio Mineral & Fossil Club meeting. In this educational talk, Tom explains the complex geological processes that transform ancient biological structures into stunning mineral specimens. He shares pieces from his personal collection, passing around examples of cellular replacement, casts, and molds, while explaining the specific minerals—like quartz, dolomite, and pyrite—responsible for preserving these ancient relics.

This presentation is an excellent resource for rockhounds and club members looking to better understand the distinction between direct cellular replacement (like petrified wood) and general structural replacement (like geodized fossils).

Key Topics Covered:

  • [00:33] Cellular replacement in dinosaur bones and petrified wood.

  • [01:53] Colonial coral replaced by quartz and dolomite crystals.

  • [04:18] The formation of geodized fossils in Kentucky and Indiana.

  • [08:39] Tampa Bay coral replacements and fluorescent aragonite.

  • [10:59] Cast replacements in Horn coral and Petoskey stones (Hexagonaria).

  • [19:21] Pyritized cephalopods, brachiopods, and crinoid heads.

  • [27:08] Club Q&A: Preserving fragile shale ferns, mother of pearl in ammonites, and rainbow petrified wood.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFHjQRuzDA0)

About us

The purpose of our club is to create an interest in the study of the earth sciences and all lapidary

a fossil in limestone

JOIN OUR CLUB

Come join the Mid-Ohio Mineral and Fossil Club to learn and share in study of our earth’s minerals and fossils.  

trilobite fossils
arrowheads
fossil
Tyrannosaurus scull isolated on white background. prehistoric animal fossils.
Snoflake Obsidian
Fossilized fish