Rhodochrosite ps. After fossilized clam

Item Description

A rare and striking CABINET specimen from the famous deposits of the Kerch Peninsula, Crimea, Ukraine. The crown of an impressive, large, fossilized, bone-white, mollucsc looks like a bird's nest! It holds two generations of rhodochrosite pseudomorphing molluscs! : pastel-pink rhodochrosite after numerous smaller molluscs; and darker, rounded, egg-like rhodochrosite. The molluscs rest on a matrix, that is nearly solid mollusc shell hash. This deposit is now mined through and gone. Extremely hard to obtain super, large specimens today, such as this. Valued $1200-1500. This is one of THE most unique specimens, that I have seen from this locale. Mined mostly in the late 80s and early 90s, I am told they are long since through the major phosphate pods that produced specimens here, and new pieces are few. SUPERB piece.