Amethyst ("sowbelly" polished slab) (ex Brian Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

One of the finest examples of this classic material that I have seen. The Amethyst Vein in Creede was an amazing area that measured three miles long and produced some incredibly memorable pieces from this famous Silver mining district. This polished slab is a superb piece of the well known "sowbelly" variety of Amethyst/Quartz that was synonymous with this mine. It is actually nothing more than a polished section of the actual VEIN in the mine! The specimen was mined in the 1960s, and shows beautifully banded layers of white Quartz and purple Amethyst. One of the most impressive features of this specimen is the fact that it is so GEMMY when backlit, as the majority of this material is either translucent or opaque. The slab is complete about 95% of the way around, which is remarkable for these pieces. A top-notch specimen of this now hard to find and classic material. Valued at $900-$1100.