This specimen features juicy, transparent, sharply terminated cobaltian smithies to almost 1.5 cm. The color is TOPs for the varietal, not pale at all but almost red in hue. They are the more rare form, compared to the simple rhombohedra you normally see. The specimen is attractive and 3-dimensional overall, and the piece is just REALLY visually appealing! No damage! It is an exceptional specimen also because unlike most such which are fully covered, this has ISOLATED crystals and thus displays rather more dramtically than the usual carpeted matrix pieces

This specimen features a VERY rare style of cuprian smithsonite, such that I believe it was only found in one pocket (early 1980s?). The style is defined by isolated, gemmy, sharp crystals as you see in the closeup, to 8mm in size. Usually , cuprian smithsonite from here is rhombohedral or a simple druse but these are more elongated and look more prismatic in habit. However, these are real, euhedral crystals of superb quality. A rich druse of glistening, sugary microcrystals contrasting against the dolomite matrix completes the visual appeal here! I have seen only one other of this type for sale recently, and that from the Sussman collection and at a much higher price for comparable quality (though the piece was larger, too)

The finest and most lustrous, deep green cuprian smithsonites from this unusual mine were recovered in the early 1990s (George Godas and George Stevens with John Callahan) and sold at Tucson and to local collectors of the area. Frank Valenzuela was cut in early on the find, and purchased this piece from the miners before the Tucson Show of 1993. It is a superb, 3-dimensional, bubbly smithsonite with unusually uniform and rich color. The large smithsonite bubbles atop are complete all around, 360 degrees. It is simply at the top of its game for the size and is a quality level hard to come by today. There have been new finds, a few new pockets here over the last 20 years, but in general this first and earliest find is regarded as most desirable. Joe Budd Photos.

A very rare example of isolated , rounded crystals of smithsonite for this locale. Most smithsonite from Kelly is in the form of thick botryoidal masses. This particular style is very seldom seen, and particularly in association with nice, discrete balls of aurichalcite. Although there are a few peripheral smithsonites with minor damage, the major crystals are pristine and fine. The color contrast is striking, and rarely seen on the market compared to the more common sort. Surely an old specimen, which Frank obtained from mine owner Tony Otero in the early 1980s. Joe Budd Photos.