Fluorite (GEM ''phantom'' crystals) (ex Rich Kosnar Collection)

Item Description

The best Fluorites from Southern Illinois are some of the most coveted and finest quality examples of the species from any locality in the United States or the world for that matter. This piece comes from the famous Minerva No. 1 Mine and features a group of GEM quality, sharp, lustrous cubic crystals showing a beautiful blue color on the edges and lovely purple "phantoms" in the center. The piece looks more purple in the photos/video, but the blue color is best seen in sunlight. The piece is free of matrix, so the light shines directly through to let the colors glow. One of the cubes has a small nick on the corner, but the piece is otherwise in excellent shape. A wonderful example of these beautiful specimens from this famous fluorspar producing district. This piece is from the collection of Richard (Rich) Kosnar (1946-2007), the famous mineral dealer and collector from Colorado, and the namesake for the rare phosphate species, Kosnarite.