SOLD
MD-245689
Gold
Mendota Tunnel, Telluride District, San Miguel Co., Colorado, USA
Miniature, 3.5 x 1.7 x 1.4 cm
SOLD
This is a very aesthetic piece featuring a predominant, bright "leaf" of Gold sitting atop Quartz matrix. This specimen came to Brian Kosnar from the Leigh Price collection which he purchased it in 2002. The story of this piece came from Brian and his family directly from Leigh after he obtained the specimen. Originally this piece was purchased by mineral collector George Robertson from a dentist in Telluride in the late 1970s. From 1933 until the end of 1974, private citizens in the United States were not allowed to own Gold, but there was an exception for dentists since they require Gold for fillings, crowns, etc. The dentist who owned this specimen would often acquire Gold from the local miners around Telluride since it was more directly available. Obviously he was not interested in using it for dental work as he had a few specimens of Gold in a small private collection. After George Robertson acquired the piece he sold it to Leigh Price sometime in the 1980s. There is a small black and white photocopy of the original label which accompanies the specimen. The reverse side of the piece indicates that the main "leaf" on this specimen has been reinforced in order to stabilize it. Overall, this is an historic and rarely seen Gold specimen from a hard to find locality in the famous San Juan Mountains.