Description/Interesting Notes:
An absolutely incredible, old 1800's example of native gold from Colorado!!! This specimen consists of
a complex group of sphalerite crystals that hosts a rich display of tiny
native gold crystals scattered about its surface!!!
The pics simply do not do this rare and historic beauty justice!!! There are numerous crystals of native gold scattered about
the surface of the specimen!!! There is a some minor association
of microcrystalline quartz that has been selectively deposited on some of the sphalerite crystals and
there is also some massive pyrite (visible only on the reverse) and some minor galena!!!
Upon close inspection, one can see that the
native gold is
extremely well crystallized - with numerous sharp, brilliant crystals perched on
the smartly contrasting dark sphalerite matrix!!! The native gold crystals are
WAY better than the pics show - with razor-sharp, brilliant crystals ranging from cubic forms to sharply
angular hoppered crystals!!! What the crystals lack in size they more than make up for in
number and perfection!!! There are also some crystals hidden under the quartz coating and
included within the sphalerite!!! This specimen is simply amazing in person!!! This specimen
retains an old label from the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum as well as an affixed catalogue number!!!
This is very rare old time material!!! I have only ever seen one other such example of native gold
and sphalerite (as a small polished slice) from the same region!!! The pics hardly do it justice!!!
Good luck and be sure to check out my other exciting mineral auctions on ebay!!!
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