Prehnite cast after Anhydrite

Item Description

Prehnite from New Jersey is a historical classic we mostly see in books and museums, but every decade or so there seems to be a pocket somebody hits, and a brief availability of new specimens on the market. However, they often are flat plates, and rarely mimic the old style - which you see here - of elongated stalactite-looking crystals. They are not stalactites in reality, though. They form as casts over anhydrite, which gives the unusual form. The anhydrite then goes away within, leaving a hollow shell in some cases. These "fingers" are classics, and this is a great example from a modern find of the early 2010s. The prehnite fingers on this specimen, which splay out in all directions, are thick, very lustrous and translucent with a light apple-green color. The longest finger reaches 4 cm in length. Hollow casts of what were once anhydrite are in evidence on the back side. The specimen is nearly pristine with only the smallest amount of contact around the periphery of the base, and a pristine, deep display view. Much better in person! Valued $1500