10/14/2026
October's Collector's Pick looks like it was MADE for spooky season. 🎃🧡
Meet Realgar, an arsenic sulfide mineral known for its incredible red-orange colour and striking crystal formations.
But there's something unusual about this mineral...
☀️ Realgar doesn't particularly like light.
With prolonged light exposure, Realgar can undergo chemical and structural changes, producing yellow-orange alteration products and changing the appearance of a specimen over time. That's one reason collectors need to be thoughtful about how Realgar is displayed and stored.
And yes—the arsenic part is real. Realgar has been known and used by humans for centuries, including historically as a pigment, despite something we understand much better today: arsenic compounds require careful handling.
Today, good specimens are fascinating collector pieces combining mineralogy, chemistry, history, and a little danger. 👀
⚠️ Realgar specimens should be handled responsibly: avoid creating or inhaling dust, wash your hands after handling, and keep specimens away from children and pets.
💬 Would Realgar make it into your collection?
