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MSA MEETING PROGRAM & PLACE
Franciscan Renewal Center, (Piper Hall),
January 15, 2026 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
"Mineral Connoisseurship:
A Collector’s Guide to Fine Minerals”
Presented by
HANNAH BRODHAGEN
Hannah Brodhagen
Wendy Brodhagen photo.
RHODONITE, 4.0 x 2.8 cm, San Martin Mine, Ancash, Peru
Hannah Brodhagen Collection, Jeff Scovil Photo.
FLUORITE, 4.8 x 5.0 cm, Berbes, Asturias, Spain
Hannah Brodhagen Collection, Malte Sickinger Photo.
JANUARY
Mineral of the Month:
A FINE or FAVORITE MINERAL
(Okay to bring 1-2 examples)
* Please bring refreshments to share.
* MEETING will be (In-Person and Zoom).
Mineralogical Society of Arizona (MSA) is excited to kick off 2026 presentations featuring a prominent young star in the mineral collecting community with our January 15th program on “Mineral Connoisseurship: A Collector’s Guide to Fine Minerals” presented by MSA’s own Hannah Brodhagen. In this presentation, Hannah will explore the alluring world of fine mineral specimens. She will define what constitutes a fine mineral, explain how to differentiate these specimens from reference-grade minerals and ordinary rocks, and outline the criteria for evaluating fine minerals. To complement her discussion, Hannah will use captivating mineral photos to help illustrate the various characteristics of a fine mineral. She will draw parallels between fine minerals and art, and she will provide guidance on how to start a fine mineral collection. Hannah will highlight the significance of proper labeling and provenance, and she will discuss the advantages of photographing, publishing, and exhibiting minerals. She will also explore the factors that enhance a mineral's value, as well as those that contribute to making a mineral an icon. Perfectly timed for the upcoming 2026 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®, this enlightening and educational presentation will equip you with the essential knowledge to accurately evaluate the minerals you encounter.
Hannah Brodhagen has been collecting minerals since 2017 when her interest was sparked by a gemstone dig kit. The next summer, she borrowed a stack of gem and mineral books from the local library, read them all cover to cover, and decided she wanted to start a mineral collection. Her journey began with visiting mineral shows, exploring rock shops, and field-collecting specimens herself. Initially, Hannah was on a mission to add one of every mineral in existence to her collection. She quickly learned that this was a near impossible feat. Through her continued reading of publications like the Mineralogical Record and Rocks & Minerals, as well as through the help of numerous mentors she met along her journey, Hannah quickly began learning what made a good specimen and began refining her collection.
After attending the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show® (TGMS Show) as a spectator for several years, Hannah entered her first competitive exhibit in 2022 and won first place and overall Best Junior in the open division. Other awards Hannah has won for her exhibits include the Best Junior trophy for her display at the 2022 Rocky Mountain Federation Show, first place for her two cases in the toenail and miniature divisions at the 2023 TGMS Show, first place for her open exhibit at the 2024 TGMS Show, as well as the Kay Robertson Educational Award by Friends of Mineralogy for her rough and cut educational exhibit that year, the Junior National Trophy at the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Show for her miniature minerals exhibit in 2024, and the Best Junior Trophy for her case of miniature minerals at the 2025 TGMS Show. Hannah was also named the inaugural recipient of the Bob Jones Trophy for her rough/cut exhibit at The 3rd Phoenix Heritage Mineral Show in June 2023. In 2024, her rough/cut exhibit won the Arthur L. Flagg Trophy for best junior exhibit at The 4th Phoenix Heritage Mineral Show.
Recently, Hannah was asked to participate in the new female collector's exhibition at the Colorado School of Mines Museum called, "Treasures Through Her Eyes: A Celebration of Women's Collections." She loaned her rough and cut collection to the museum where it will be on display until the fall of 2026.
Hannah's collection primarily focuses on worldwide competitive miniature minerals. She seeks out aesthetic, focal crystals perched on matrix that are undamaged, well-terminated, and transparent with good luster and depth of color. Hannah also has a collection of Arizona minerals, a rough and cut collection with same locality gemstones to match her fine minerals, and a small suite of rhodochrosite, which is her favorite mineral.
Hannah continues to be an avid field-collector and has collected minerals at over 75 localities in 7 different states, mostly in the Southwest.
Additionally, Hannah enjoys faceting gemstones, a hobby she has been pursuing for several years. She may, one day, like to try her hand at gemstone carving.
Hannah aspires to continue expressing her passion for minerals and gemstones by pursuing a mineralogy degree and completing a graduate gemologist program.
Mark your calendars for this extraordinary debut program by a noted star within our hobby and an inspiration for collectors young and veteran!
Thank you, HANNAH, for sharing your passion and knowledge about mineral connoisseurship and the fine minerals and gemstones you've assembled and continue to exhibit and share with the world!
Meeting starts at 7.30PM Arizona time.
