Table of Contents

• The $600 Home Display by Mike Turino 1–43
• Taking Your Glow on the Road: Tips for Portable Fluorescent Mineral Displays by Jon Roth 13–21
• From the Editor—The (Dis)Play’s the Thing… by Howie Green 23–29
• The FMS Facebook Group Chapter Strikes Back by — 30–36
• Bargain Basement; The Inexpensive Path to an Expensive Display by Jon Amsterdam 36–39
• 2024 FMS Hall of Fame Inductees—Al and Sue Liebetrau by William H. Dameron, Lee McIlvaine, Cec De Clerck, and Doug Bank 40–41
• GloBox Fluorescent Mineral Display by — 44

The $600 Home Display

By Mike Turino · pp. 1–43

A modular home display built for under $1,000 combines an IKEA BESTÅ cabinet with a heavy-duty HUSKY shelving frame, chalkboard-painted surfaces, glass doors, and UV-blocking OP3. The article explains the design choices, construction, lighting arrangement, specimen organization, and safety considerations, including how shortwave and longwave sources serve the author’s collection. It also reflects on how building the case shaped his collecting priorities and presents a continuation about lamp coverage and positioning.

Taking Your Glow on the Road: Tips for Portable Fluorescent Mineral Displays

By Jon Roth · pp. 13–21

A portable, lockable display case built on prefabricated garage shelving is designed for mineral shows and convenient transport. The article details its assembly, plywood panels, picture-frame window with UV-blocking OP3 acrylic, removable and lockable components, ventilation, lighting support, and reassembly tips. The project cost about $550 in parts, and its design aims to make construction accessible without a full wood shop. The finished case debuted at the Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society’s 2024 show.

From the Editor—The (Dis)Play’s the Thing…

By Howie Green · pp. 23–29

Display choices shape how collectors enjoy, organize, and share their specimens. The editor compares practical home and portable cases, including repurposed transilluminators, and describes collections arranged by regions and mineral groups. A gallery highlights specimens from Greenland and localities around the world, while reflections on viewers’ responses lead to the argument that a satisfying display can reward its owner even without public acclaim. The piece also considers how ultraviolet displays can make collections accessible and engaging.

The FMS Facebook Group Chapter Strikes Back

pp. 30–36

Members of the FMS Facebook group share photographs and notes about their mineral displays, describing their lighting, case designs, specimen arrangements, and collecting interests. The examples range from Franklin-Sterling Hill and Greenland collections to displays featuring Australian localities, Arizona material, fossils, and minerals gathered from around the world. Contributors discuss shortwave and longwave setups, transilluminators, and the choices involved in balancing brightness, size, and color within a case.

Bargain Basement; The Inexpensive Path to an Expensive Display

By Jon Amsterdam · pp. 36–39

Repurposed cabinets and inexpensive materials can become effective mineral displays, as illustrated by a collector’s progression from a plastic tote to a large trophy case and purpose-built boxes. The article covers organizing specimens by locality and wavelength, including collections from Greenland, Sweden, Finland, Franklin-Sterling Hill, Canada, and Australia. It also addresses lighting, UV-blocking materials, ventilation, electrical and trip hazards, specimen labeling, and the practical trade-offs of glass, foam, and OP3.

2024 FMS Hall of Fame Inductees—Al and Sue Liebetrau

By William H. Dameron, Lee McIlvaine, Cec De Clerck, and Doug Bank · pp. 40–41

Al and Sue Liebetrau’s decades of collecting, teaching, and service to the Fluorescent Mineral Society are celebrated through recollections from colleagues and their induction into the 2024 FMS Hall of Fame. Their work included leadership in the Society, modernization of its Constitution, major display projects, and contributions to mineral organizations and publications. Their award-winning exhibits featured minerals from a broad range of localities, and their generosity in sharing geological knowledge helped inspire fellow collectors.

GloBox Fluorescent Mineral Display

p. 44

The GloBox is a ready-made display case advertised for presenting mineral specimens under 365 nm longwave UV. It offers two lighting modes: white LED illumination and longwave UV. The listing highlights its black acrylic construction, aluminum heatsink, motion detector, professional-grade filters, and clear UV-blocking OP3 display window. Two sizes are offered, with prices, shipping costs, and ordering information provided through MinerShop.