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Lot 1197
Rare Large Gold Nugget
27 May 2010, 13:00 EDT
New YorkSold for US$150,000
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Australia
The goldfields of Western Australia are a greenstone terrain originally formed by volcanic lava and undersea intrusions of magma about 2,670,000,000 years ago. Through tectonic forces the various rock layers were folded and pushed up to make high mountains. The major gold deposits were formed in the greenstone belts about 2,630,000,000 years ago. Subsequently this enormous feature was eroded to its present altitude of approximately 1000 feet above sea level.
Larger gold nuggets are avidly sought-after by knowledgeable collectors. They are genuinely rare and the cognoscenti have always appreciated that feature. As the big ones are found, fewer are available to be found. Hardly any of the larger nuggets on the market in a given year were retrieved by deep mining operations. Instead, they are usually found by lone prospectors who use metal detectors in the semi-arid desert. The climate alone creates tough prospecting conditions with temperatures during the summer months generally reaching well over 100 degrees Farenheit.
Unlike so many specimens which have been adversely treated, or cleaned, before they are offered on the market, this one shows no evidence of tool marks or preparation by man. The present specimen is an appealing one—highly three-dimensional and sculptural—and capable of standing on its own with only small traces of limonite and very small quartz crystals in the crevices. It is characterized by a rich yellow and also a reddish patina in the crevices. Magnificent when viewed from any angle, and would be ideally suited for display on a revolving stand. Both its importance and beauty will ensure its placement in a significant mineral, gold collection or marketing program. Weighing 125.02 ozt (3869.3 grams) and measuring 5 x 4 x 4 ¼ in
The goldfields of Western Australia are a greenstone terrain originally formed by volcanic lava and undersea intrusions of magma about 2,670,000,000 years ago. Through tectonic forces the various rock layers were folded and pushed up to make high mountains. The major gold deposits were formed in the greenstone belts about 2,630,000,000 years ago. Subsequently this enormous feature was eroded to its present altitude of approximately 1000 feet above sea level.
Larger gold nuggets are avidly sought-after by knowledgeable collectors. They are genuinely rare and the cognoscenti have always appreciated that feature. As the big ones are found, fewer are available to be found. Hardly any of the larger nuggets on the market in a given year were retrieved by deep mining operations. Instead, they are usually found by lone prospectors who use metal detectors in the semi-arid desert. The climate alone creates tough prospecting conditions with temperatures during the summer months generally reaching well over 100 degrees Farenheit.
Unlike so many specimens which have been adversely treated, or cleaned, before they are offered on the market, this one shows no evidence of tool marks or preparation by man. The present specimen is an appealing one—highly three-dimensional and sculptural—and capable of standing on its own with only small traces of limonite and very small quartz crystals in the crevices. It is characterized by a rich yellow and also a reddish patina in the crevices. Magnificent when viewed from any angle, and would be ideally suited for display on a revolving stand. Both its importance and beauty will ensure its placement in a significant mineral, gold collection or marketing program. Weighing 125.02 ozt (3869.3 grams) and measuring 5 x 4 x 4 ¼ in