The Tucson Gem Show is now among the largest of its kind in the country and the showcase has grown to include more than 50 satellite shows around the city.

The Tucson Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Showcase started in 1955 as a small show organized by the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society at an elementary school. It was so popular, it became an annual event and moved to the Pima County Fair and Rodeo Grounds until 1972, when it moved to the Tucson Convention Center. 

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