The catalog number
Every specimen gets a number. The number lives in three places: a small inked dot on a non-display surface of the specimen itself, a printed paper label inside the storage box, and the master catalog (a spreadsheet, FileMaker database, or dedicated collector software). The number is the link — without it, specimens and labels separate over time and information is lost permanently.
Required fields per specimen
Mineral name (preferably IMA-approved). Locality at the highest specificity available — mine name, level, pocket if known, then town, province/state, country. Dimensions in mm. Acquisition date. Source (dealer name and city). Acquisition price. Catalog number. Notes: any treatments, repairs, prior collection history. Photo if possible. The minimum data fits on a 3×5 card; missing data is irreversible later.
Surviving you
Digital catalog backed up to at least two locations including offsite cloud. Master list printed annually and stored separately from the collection. Notes on collection plan in case of unexpected absence: which museum is willing to accept this collection? Which dealer is fair? Which family member knows what 'cabinet specimens' means? Specimens without instructions get tossed by people who don't know what they're looking at.
How to apply a number without damaging the specimen
The goal is a number that is permanent to the specimen but reversible to the eye. The standard museum method is to paint a small patch of white correction fluid or acrylic on an inconspicuous back surface, let it dry, write the number on it in archival ink or a fine permanent pen, then seal it with a dab of clear lacquer. Keep the dot off display faces and off porous or soluble surfaces where it could stain. For tiny or fragile specimens that cannot take a dot, number the box and rely on a tightly kept label instead. Never scratch a number directly into the mineral, and never use a sticky label as the only record, because adhesives fail and fall off over the years.
Write legibly and consistently — a number you cannot read in twenty years is the same as no number at all.
Choosing a numbering scheme and software
Pick one numbering scheme early and never reuse a number, even after a specimen leaves the collection. A simple running sequence (1, 2, 3 …) is the most robust; date-based or category-coded schemes look tidy but break when a piece is reclassified. For the master catalog, a plain spreadsheet (with columns matching the required fields) is enough for most collectors and exports cleanly to any future tool, while dedicated collection-management apps add photo galleries, label printing, and search. Whatever you choose, store the locality as structured fields — mine, town, province, country — so you can sort and filter later. The best system is the one you will actually keep up to date after every purchase.
For a collection of Chinese material, recording locality in both English and Chinese (for example Yaogangxian / 瑶岗仙) makes future verification and resale far easier.
Preserving old labels and building provenance
When a specimen arrives with a previous owner's label, that card is part of the piece's history and often part of its value — keep it with the specimen rather than throwing it out. Store fragile or historic labels in a small archival sleeve in the box, and record their contents in your catalog in case the paper is ever lost. Each time a piece changes hands, the chain of labels documents where it has been, which supports both authenticity and resale. Photograph the specimen together with its labels so the association is recorded even if they later separate. A well-documented provenance is one of the few things that reliably raises a specimen's worth over time, and it costs nothing but discipline to maintain.
Frequently asked questions
How should I write a catalog number on a specimen?
Paint a small patch of acrylic or correction fluid on an inconspicuous back surface, write the number on it with archival ink, and seal it with clear lacquer. Keep the dot off display faces and off porous or soluble surfaces. Never scratch the number into the mineral or rely on a stick-on label alone.
What information should each label record?
Record the mineral name, the most specific locality you have (mine, level, pocket, town, province, country), dimensions, acquisition date, source, price, your catalog number, and any treatment or repair notes. A photo helps too. Missing data is usually impossible to recover later, so capture it at the time of purchase.
Should I keep the old labels that come with a specimen?
Yes — previous owners' labels document provenance and often add real value, so store them with the specimen and record their contents in your catalog. Photograph the piece together with its labels so the link survives even if the paper is later lost. Discarding old labels removes history you cannot recreate.
What is the best software for cataloguing a mineral collection?
A simple spreadsheet with one column per required field is robust, future-proof, and exports anywhere, which is enough for most collectors. Dedicated collection-management apps add label printing, photos, and search if you want them. Whatever you choose, back it up to at least two locations including offsite cloud.