Sphalerite (gemmy twinned crystals)

Item Description

A classic and desirable small cabinet specimen of the well-known Sphalerite crystals from the famous Iron Cap Mine in Arizona. These attractive specimens are beloved by Arizona collectors, not just for their morphology, but they are also the best GEM quality examples of the species from anywhere in the entire state. One of these specimens was featured on the cover of The Mineralogical Record (Vol. 19, No. 2 March - April 1988), and it's regarded among the most iconic Sphalerites from any US locality. This piece features several very well-formed, excellent "Spinel"-twinned crystal measuring 1.0 cm with sharp faces, and a beautiful golden-green color when backlit, aesthetically sitting in a vug on matrix, with a bit of associated Calcite at the base. A very nice Arizona sulfide specimen. Valued $1,450.
The piece comes with a label from the collection of Bruce J. Murphy, stating it was previously in the collection of Tony Beker, and there is another label from dealer Arizona Minerals with a note on the back that it was originally part of the Tony Budge collection. V