Precious Opal

Coober Pedy, Coober Pedy - Everard Range Regions, South Australia, Australia
Small Cabinet, 5.5 x 3.4 x 3.2 cm
Start Time: 06/13/2013 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 06/20/2013 6:49:14 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

Coober Pedy is a town in northern part of South Australia, that is sometimes referred to as the "Opal Capital of the World" because of the quantity of precious Opals that are mined there. Typically the Opals from this area have a very distinctive appearance, with softer hues than those from Lightning Ridge, but they often produce larger stones and even specimens like this piece. Opal is one of those minerals that looks as beautiful and impressive when it is opaque as when it is water clear. The amazing range of this material (considering the simplistic chemistry) makes it a really cool mineral, and that's saying a lot considering the species does not even have any crystal form! This piece is a lovely small miniature display specimen of this famous material that is filled with bands of bright Opal covering the color spectrum including red, pink, orange, green, yellow, blue, aqua and even a slight lavender shade. The piece actually displays beautifully as it stands up on its own, and as you can see from the photos, the rainbows that can be seen throughout are fantastic. I showed the piece to a friend who knows a bit more about this material than I do, and they said that good Coober Pedy Opals are valued at over $200 per carat in some cases. This particular piece (which is polished) could be valued at up to $1000 or more retail based on the rough value. Don't miss out on this beautiful specimen of a species that most collectors don't often think about for their collections as it is rarely found in display pieces.

Did You Know We Offer Custom Bases?

Learn More