Sphalerite (superb color and quality) with rare FLUORITE association!

Item Description

Outside of the silver minerals, perhaps the most well-known species from Creede is Sphalerite. A lot of Sphalerites from most Colorado localities are either very dark brown or completely black and opaque, but Creede specimens are often gemmier, showing yellow and gold hues with a slight greenish overtone typically, but a small percentage of them are a vivid GREEN color, by far the most desirable hue for the species from any locality in the district. Good gem green Sphalerites from Creede are highly sought after by knowledgeable collector. Certainly these are some of the FINEST Sphalerites from any locality, not just in Colorado, but all of the US. The Commodore Mine is well-known for producing some of the best gem green examples of Sphalerite from any mine in Creede. This piece is a notably hard to find LARGE CABINET sized example featuring many superb quality, razor-sharp, GEM twinned crystals of glowing green Sphalerite on Quartz on matrix, but the most important and rare aspect of the specimen is that it features a tiny (about 2 mm) gemmy, pale blue-green colored octahedral FLUORITE crystal, which is incredibly rare from Creede! I can't remember seeing another crystal of Fluorite from any locality in Creede, and while the crystal on this piece is small, it's a significant association for the district. The largest Sphalerite measures about 5 mm across, and they are beautiful to view up close. When the Sphalerites are backlit, they just GLOW with color and optical clarity. The vast majority of the crystals are pristine, which is rare as most of these pieces are typically riddled with little nicks and dings. The size of the piece is what really stands out here, as a large cabinet display specimen is almost unheard of when it comes to this particular material. A near must-have for any fan of Sphalerites, sulfides, Colorado minerals or specifically pieces from Creede.
Valued $3,500
From the collection of Gary and Terry Butts of Livermore, Colorado. This husband and wife collecting duo were childhood sweethearts, and have been together since they began dating as teenagers growing up in East Des Moines, Iowa in the 1950s. Both of them had an early interest in the hobby thanks to the fact that Terry's parents had a keen interest in lapidary, which sparked an interest in rocks for both of them. Gary and Terry were featured in an article in the Des Moines Register on Feb 4, 1962 (see photo in this listing) highlighting their interest and prowess in the hobby as youngsters. Gary traveled to various localities around the US as a teenager with his father (who worked in the tin industry), to personally collect specimens. He then attended the School of Mines in Golden, Colorado and graduated in 1967 with a degree in extractive metallurgical engineering. We went to work for Duval Corp at the Esperanza Mine south of Tucson, Arizona and then work for Cyprus Mines, Hazen Research, Pincock, Allen & Holt and the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute. His final job was in the mineral and environmental division of Intertek Testing Services of London, which owned the Canadian mineral testing company, Bonder Clegg. Gary's various jobs allowed him to travel the world and build his collection by buying a lot of specimens in person when they were coming out of the ground. Additionally, Terry's uncle was a miner in Creede, Colorado and later owned a rock shop which supplied Gary with specimens from the area. The specimens in this auction represent what Gary and Terry considered the "cream of the crop" of their collection.