FEATURED AUCTION - Fran Allegra Collection

We are proud to offer on behalf of the family estate, the full collection of the late Judge Francis Allegra, noted collector, true friend to minerals, and MR legal columnist. Fran collected rocks since he was a child growing up in Cleveland and then collected minerals once he discovered the world of fine minerals as an art and an asset. He was very careful and deliberate in his acquisition strategy and generally only bought one good specimen each year, especially strongly from the late-1990s through 2010. The core value of his collection is therefore in classics that came out in those years and slightly earlier, including a very significant Dalnegorsk suite of specimens assembled over those decades. Interestingly, this was the most secure mineral collection outside of the Smithsonian in the Washington DC area. This collection, these same pieces you see here, was located in his office in the old red brick judicial building, that looked right across the lawn into the White House. I would venture that more congressman and high-level officials of the US government have seen this collection, than any other private mineral collection, over the years. Fran deserves more of a legacy then we can give it in the space here, so after you look at the auction please feel free to go to irocks.com/allegra and read the blog and article we have posted about him.