Bill

Bill Shelton is a long time mineral enthusiast. His love began at the age of ten when he first discovered a small fleck of gold on the shores of Maine. The prospect of discovering valuable things "set the hook pretty deep". Since then his passion has sent him on many adventures across the northeast. Inspired to collect early in life, Bill has amassed a large collection of specimens, many from Russia. One day he intends to donate his collection to a museum of his choice.  

Throughout the years, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® became the his main connection point to the society. He moved to Tucson only 15 years ago and shortly after became a lifetime member of TGMS. Now he spends much of his time teaching classes on various topics.

Teaching and education are his passions. He has been a longtime contributor, writing for various clubs throughout the years. Bill's writing appears in publications and mineral societies around the world. Starting in 2016 he began writing for TGMS.

Read Bill's articles

In Bill's own words:

" I like the idea of having classes and groups, to give an opportunity to learn something."

Bill
70 years old
Primary focus: Collecting and Education
Society life member of TGMS

John

John Ebner is a hall of fame micromounter and dyed in the wool collector of all things micromount. He has dedicated his life to the pursuit of collecting and preserving historic elements related to the mounting of micro minerals. From an early age John was an avid collector, always adding to his collection of stamps and coins. It wasn't until he joined a local mineral society in New Jersey at the age of 38, that his love of minerals began.

Since joining the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society in 1979, John has collected more than 50,000 micro-mounted specimens. He stores the collection at his micromount Hall of Fame Museum. Notable items he preserves include microscopes from members of the Micromounters Hall of Fame and a variety of mining memorabilia. John's museum is the worlds most comprehensive micromount collection in the world. His museum collection has a breadth and depth few have seen outside of a institutional offering.

John's desire is to keep the knowledge and history of micromounting preserved for future generations . With historic elements from greats Paul Seel to Harvard's world renowned scientist Charles Palache's original microscope, the history within the museum is impressive. John is a micromount legend. His passion to promote and preserve micromounting will influence the society, fellow enthusiasts, and researchers for many years to come.

In John's own words:

"If you go into micro mineralogy it is a whole new world under the microscope than what you see with the hand specimens. It's entirely different. The minerals are better formed, generally less damaged, and you can still easily collect them where you might not be able to find a good hand specimens. You can build a really nice collection, at a moderate cost and have a lot of fun...if you are a collector. If you're not a collector then go find something else to do."
 

John
84 years old
Primary focus: micromounting historian and preservationist
Society Member since 1979

Wolfgang & Diana

Wolfgang and Diana Mueller are best known for lapidary and jewelry making. They are leaders in the gem and mineral fashioning world. A high level of craftsmanship and depth of experience distinguishes their work. Their intimate understanding of what buyers want serves clients from far and wide. Their expertise comes from years of collecting before honing their lapidary and jewelry skills. Long ago they were just two enthusiasts who frequented the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®. 

Wolfgang's career as a geologist led him to a deep understanding and appreciation for the natural beauty of minerals from all over the world. After moving west Wolfgang became known for the “best wulfenite specimen found in California”. He was the first to join the Society, in 1975. Diana joined later in 1995. Since then they both have been active supporters of the Society in various roles. 

The Society has provided a place to connect, share what they are learning, and gain inspiration from other members. It has provided many friendships, where a hobby can draw together such a motley group and a resource for continued learning. Catch Wolfgang or Diana at the next meeting and ask to see some of their latest work.

Wolfgang & Diana
73 & 61 years old
Primary focus: Lapidary and jewelry work
Society members since 1975 & 1995