The extensive mineral and fossil collection of James (Jim) and Amelia (Mimi) Stauffer is one that spans approximately 70 years of collecting and encompasses a vast amount of specimens which were personally dug from the ground by them, along with those traded and purchased from others. Boltz Auction Company will sell the vast grouping over two online-only sales and one live in-person sale. The first sale will end Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. and is online only. The second closes Friday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m., also online only. Previews are by appointment. To learn more, call 717-392-4257. An in-person sale with online bidding available will be held Saturday, Oct. 12, beginning at 10 a.m. Boltzs facility is located at 3601 Columbia Ave., Lancaster, Pa. James D. Stauffer came to studying and collecting in this field as a geology major at Franklin and Marshall College, from which he graduated in 1954. He developed a knack for his uncanny ability to know where to dig for minerals as well as his ability to identify minerals. Jim and Amelia explored many Pennsylvania quarries and other sites throughout the U.S. and Canada, both known and unknown for mineral collecting. Some of their favorite spots to find specimens were in Ontario, Canada, where they made mineral collecting trips to Bear Lake, Tory Hill, and Ore Chimney Mine, among others. Much of their collecting was done through the 1950s to the 1980s in areas which are now considered extinct and are either underwater, developments or owned by major mining companies. Jim was involved with the Mineralogical Society of Pennsylvania for many years and served as president in the late 1960s. The couple, along with their five daughters, visited Pennsylvania quarries on family and mineral society field trips. Their daughter, Kimberly Jade, accompanied them on numerous collecting trips to Bancroft, Ontario. Some of the specimens from their collection were purchased by the Bancroft Mineral Museum. After serving with the 82nd Airborne, Jim became a high school Earth Science teacher and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others and teaching about geology and mineral collecting. This collection includes not only minerals collected by Jim and Mimi but also traded specimens from other notable collectors such as Joe Varady, Jay Lininger, and Jerry Litner, to name a few. On March 3, Jim passed away at the age of 91. His legacy lives on through the amazing minerals which were collected in his lifetime and are part of the James and Amelia Stauffer Collection. It was his desire, knowing these minerals were on loan from the Creator, that they would be passed on to new admirers and that they would find good homes.