Fluorite with phantoms & Chalcopyrite

Denton Mine, Hardin County, Illinois, USA
Cabinet, 16.0 x 11.0 x 10.5 cm
Start Time: 04/15/2021 6:00:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 05/01/2021 6:20:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed
Winning Bid: $4,550

Item Description

Illinois produced such a quantity of fluorite in the life of the mines there, that today you would think there should be more on the market. However, between those destroyed and those locked up in collections, there is little enough of a high level that comes to market. People forget sometimes that the last of the mines closed about 20 years ago but production of specimens was dropping even by that time. This is a large cabinet specimen with crystals to 7 cm of one of the more rare styles in the Illinois fluorite color palette, with gem yellow crystals surrounded by dramatic purple phantom zones. Growing up in the Midwest, I can tell you that this particular style was always more treasured by most locals, than the more common hues of purple and even blue. The dramatic look of the purple rims around yellow interiors is unique in the mineral world, whereas you can get purple fluorite from many other locations. What really takes this piece to another level, however, are the minute inclusions of 1-2 millimeter sharp chalcopyrite crystals floating within! It makes such a beautiful accent to the sharp lines of the fluorite cubes, a little metallic chaos scattered among the regular lines. At the time such pieces came out, few were sent to the lab for cleaning, nowadays including the minor restoration of small dings and bruises. This is however, mine-sourced, and completely natural - and therefore given the size and age it is not quite pristine, but it is nearly so on the display face, and would benefit much from a proper laboratory cleaning in any case. If the small dings bother you, they could be filled with minor epoxy restoration and it would be invisible, in terms of display, on the shelf. For me, and for the previous owner, it is quite good enough (even with a few dings) and is still a major Illinois specimen, we long ago decided to keep the way it is. Larger than it looks, perhaps, at 2.1 kilos. The largest crystals is 6 cm on edge. Valued $10-12,500 as is...but after a good run through a modern cleaning laboratory this should look like things we have seen selling recently at greater numbers, every year. They do not make more, and the population coming to market keeps going down.

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Bidding History

Bid Amount Bid Time
$4,550 05/01/2021 6:10:24 pm (CDT)
$4,500 05/01/2021 6:10:24 pm (CDT)
$4,150 05/01/2021 6:10:13 pm (CDT)
$4,100 05/01/2021 6:10:12 pm (CDT)
$3,600 05/01/2021 6:10:01 pm (CDT)
$3,550 05/01/2021 6:10:01 pm (CDT)
$3,016 05/01/2021 6:09:42 pm (CDT)
$2,966 05/01/2021 6:09:42 pm (CDT)
$2,900 05/01/2021 6:09:34 pm (CDT)
$2,850 05/01/2021 6:09:34 pm (CDT)
$2,805 05/01/2021 6:09:23 pm (CDT)
$2,755 05/01/2021 6:09:22 pm (CDT)
$2,661 05/01/2021 6:04:37 pm (CDT)
$2,611 05/01/2021 6:04:37 pm (CDT)
$2,183 05/01/2021 6:03:12 pm (CDT)
$2,133 05/01/2021 6:03:12 pm (CDT)
$2,000 05/01/2021 5:57:32 pm (CDT)
$1,950 05/01/2021 5:57:32 pm (CDT)
$1,900 05/01/2021 5:57:18 pm (CDT)
$1,850 05/01/2021 5:57:18 pm (CDT)
$1,800 05/01/2021 5:56:49 pm (CDT)
$1,750 05/01/2021 5:54:47 pm (CDT)
$1,703 05/01/2021 5:54:46 pm (CDT)
$1,653 05/01/2021 5:54:28 pm (CDT)
$1,603 05/01/2021 5:54:28 pm (CDT)
$1,553 05/01/2021 5:51:22 pm (CDT)
$1,503 05/01/2021 5:51:22 pm (CDT)
$1,451 05/01/2021 5:09:51 pm (CDT)
$1,401 05/01/2021 5:09:51 pm (CDT)
$1,351 05/01/2021 4:39:04 pm (CDT)
$1,301 04/30/2021 8:24:48 pm (CDT)
$1,275 04/30/2021 8:24:47 pm (CDT)
$1,250 04/30/2021 10:39:43 am (CDT)
$1,200 * 04/19/2021 2:24:57 pm (CDT)
$1,200 * 04/19/2021 2:24:57 pm (CDT)
$1,150 04/17/2021 12:46:00 am (CDT)
$1,100 04/17/2021 12:46:00 am (CDT)
$1,050 04/17/2021 12:12:20 am (CDT)
$1,000 04/17/2021 12:12:20 am (CDT)
$850 04/16/2021 7:06:42 pm (CDT)
$825 04/16/2021 7:06:42 pm (CDT)
$735 04/16/2021 5:55:04 pm (CDT)
$710 04/16/2021 5:55:04 pm (CDT)
$580 04/16/2021 3:56:40 pm (CDT)
$555 04/16/2021 3:56:40 pm (CDT)
$465 04/16/2021 3:55:10 pm (CDT)
$455 04/16/2021 3:55:10 pm (CDT)
$360 04/16/2021 3:55:00 pm (CDT)
$350 04/16/2021 3:55:00 pm (CDT)
$310 04/16/2021 10:37:06 am (CDT)
$300 04/16/2021 10:37:06 am (CDT)
$100 04/15/2021 11:41:46 pm (CDT)
* Proxy Bid Battle: In the event of two customers inputting matching proxy bids, the leading bid goes to the earliest of the two proxy bids. Tie winners are shown in bold.