Crystallized Gold on Quartz
Plumbago Mine, Sierra County, California
This highly aesthetic native gold specimen features beautifully crystallized gold set against a strikingly white quartz matrix. The gold forms a dense, sponge-like structure composed of short, thick, intergrown crystals, with select areas exhibiting bright, lustrous surfaces and natural overlapping growth. Gold is present across all sides of the quartz, allowing for multiple display angles, each offering an equally impressive view. The gold is seen crystallizing over a layer of grey, metallic, highly lustrous arsenopyrite crystals, adding another level of visual interest and mineralogical complexity. The exceptionally white quartz provides a clean, high-contrast backdrop that enhances the rich color and texture of the gold. With strong visual balance from every angle and excellent overall aesthetics, this specimen is both dynamic and display worthy. Specimens from this mine have become increasingly scarce, as it is no longer producing and is now closed, further adding to the desirability of this piece.
14 x 15 x 11 mm
4.51 grams