D16B-70
Stephanite
Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico
Toenail, 2.8 x 2.4 x 1.9 cm
$1,950.00 Payment Plan Available
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Doubly terminated with a shockingly bright metallic luster, this large and fine stephanite crystal exhibits a dark but reflective skin coloration. As a silver, antimony sulfosalt, stephanite crystals from Fresnillo are much less common than pyrargyrite. Crystals of this thickness, with textbook crystal habit, are exceedingly rare. This is from a small find of 2015, I was told, by the mining engineer who sold it to me. For the size, it is competitive quality, although too large to be a valid thumbnail by Tucson competition standards (thus the "toenail" designation). Complete around the front, three sides, and the full top termination, it is contacted in back or it would be quite a lot more in cost, though it still displays like a champion. A superb specimen, with shocking quality and crysatllization for the price, in my opinion.