gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,808
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Post by gemfeller on Aug 11, 2014 23:42:41 GMT -5
A few years ago people who ran a rock and shell shop in the small California beach town where I lived successfully bid on an amazing estate collection. The original collector had put together a stunning hoard of fine gems and minerals. For instance I was able to buy from them cab-sized gold-in-quartz scrap-sawed pieces from a sphere preform. The finished sphere was about 3.5-inches in diameter and loaded with native gold! It was just one of hundreds of fine specimens ranging from museum-quality tourmaline crystals to about any gem material one can think of. The wife had lots of stone knowledge and they were able to make a nice living by selling off pieces from the estate. But she fell ill and passed away, leaving the husband in charge of a collection he knew little about. His specialty was seashells. One day I was driving past their shop located near a big city street repair project. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted !thundereggs! in a big pile of rocks in the gutter. The shell guy had piled them up as waste from his shop, apparently thinking they could be used as fill material by the street repairmen. What fill material! I screeched to a stop and started collecting from Gutter Gulch. I still don't know the full extent of what I brought home -- I have several 5-gal plastic buckets filled with interesting Gutter Gulch materials. Much of it consists of Oregon T-eggs, many from the old Priday/Richardson area digs. I've found a few plume pieces and a lot of neat mosses like the delicate one in the cab below. Some I'll keep as specimens and cab others from broken eggs. I have lots of slabbing and cabbing to do. The jasper is somewhat rare Arch Canyon material from the Owyhees. I have several slabs left that are better than this stone. Thanks for looking.
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Post by wireholic on Aug 12, 2014 0:13:46 GMT -5
Lucky you to be driving by at just the right time!!
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Post by rockjunquie on Aug 12, 2014 3:34:59 GMT -5
Nice save!!!! I hope my family makes some money off my rocks and doesn't just toss them!
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Post by snowmom on Aug 12, 2014 5:58:53 GMT -5
this thread sounds like good inspiration to think about leaving written directionswith your will regardind disposal of a rock collection. i'll start another thread. great finds and lucky timing!
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garock
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,168
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Post by garock on Aug 12, 2014 15:49:03 GMT -5
My wife and I went on a field trip south of Macon GA in an old limestone pit with the Mid-Georgia Gem and Mineral Society a few years back. The limestone was cut into huge blocks about 6 ft square. We were hunting fossils. Off the edge of the parking area was what looked like a trash pile but after investagation, it was someone's old collection of fossils, rocks and minerals. Everyone got to got thru pile and pick up some nice specimens. We were lucky that trip !
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Post by sandsman1 on Aug 14, 2014 12:29:05 GMT -5
dam man that first one is too cool what a lucky find and ya didnt even have to do any digging hahaha
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Post by gingerkid on Aug 14, 2014 13:09:22 GMT -5
Glad you stopped and rescued the rocks, Rick! Drool-factor = first cab.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,686
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Post by Fossilman on Aug 15, 2014 8:55:45 GMT -5
Nice find! I also collect up the junk rocks from other places,I usually find a few that work up great.. Thumbs up...
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Post by drocknut on Aug 15, 2014 9:19:39 GMT -5
Glad you saved them from the gutter.
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