Quartz / Gold specimen


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Hey you experts,

I have a question for you guys. I entered a quartz/gold specimen for one of my best finds for 2014 with Western Eastern Treasures Magazine. They have contacted me about putting it in the magazine but now want a value. Can you guys shed some light for me on this. The total piece weighs 1.437 oz. After doing a specific gravity on it the gold content is 0.399 leaving 1.038 for the quartz.

Thank You in advance!

Larry Soper

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Thanks for your input Unc! Yeah I figured it was worth at least $500. I have always been told that quartz specimens brought more of a premium. At least 1 1/2 times gold content. I know it isn't a real attractive piece but it has at least caught the eye of two magazines. It made the cover of American Digger Magazine and now W & E Treasures Best of 2014!

Thanks again!

Larry

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Quartz specimens can bring a premium, sometimes way more than 1.5 times the gold value, but its a beauty thing. If your specimen makes collectors jaws drop because of the beauty or spectacular crystallization, yep, it can be way expensive. Like Uncle Ron, I would not say yours falls in that category. Its a beauty contest thing - if you can win the beauty contest you get the prize, but if you are old and overweight, you will find that you don't win.

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$500 is a fair price based on your numbers. The extra high premiums are highly dependent on the eye-appeal of the piece, and very few make the cut. Nice piece you got for sure, I'd love to dig that up any day!

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Nice gold!
Very unique piece.

Glad you were able to get it :)
Tom H.

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Thanks for the replies guys, I really do appreciate them! This has been educational. This find was made last year while I was relic hunting a tent site. You can imagine my surprise when this came out of 5" of dirt! I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I had a guy offer me $750 for it at our bible study group a couple of months ago. No plans to sell until maybe I retire in about 7 years.

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Larry... your 'specie' must have some unique eye-appeal if Rosemary posts it as a 'best find'.

My congratulations and I'm looking forward to seeing it in the 2014 Best Finds

edition... jim straight

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Thanks Jim! Yeah, Rosemary and Steve have had follow up questions for the past few weeks. This, being the value is the last one. They had different categories for Best Finds of 2014...coin, jewelry, relic, nugget, other. I entered this specimen for the nugget category and my 1851 Model Colt Navy Revolver for the relic category. I personally would have chosen the gun over the gold!!!

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Wow... I have had a 30 caliber replica made in Italy since I assembled it from a $49 kit back

about 1981. It was aged by Kassai and it appears battered and holster worn. While it is shootable

it is not loaded. A real one, even in battered condition can be worth far more than the nugget. However

any replica made in Italy is of quality and I understand that the current factory-made Colts are assembled

from the Italian-made parts.

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