Galena with epitaxial outgrowths (old Tri-State district)

Item Description

This old, mid-1900s, galena crystal weighs over 7 pounds. It shows DRAMATIC epitaxial growth (which means oriented growth of a later crystal generation upon the first). Remarkably, this huge crystal is complete, if asymmetric, all around. Most large galenas show damage, chisel or hack marks, or just plain big breaks on the backside where hacked from the matrix. This seems to have fallen off in situ and then partially regrown while in the pocket, making for crystallization faces all around. A superb old classic. Valued $900-ish