Fluorite Specimen Brings $125,000+ To Lead $2+ Million Fine Minerals And Natural History Auction At Heritage

Rare Legrandite specimen from Mexico brings $93,750, 13-inch Tourmaline spray from Brazil sold for $81,250 Oct. 19-20 in Dallas

DALLAS — An enormous specimen of purple Fluorite, measuring 5-inches square and accented with crystals of Baryte, Sphalerite and Calcite, realized $125,000 to take top lot honors Oct. 19-20 in Heritage Auctions' Nature & Science Signature® Auction in Dallas. The $2+ million auction presented top-quality examples of the most popularly collected minerals in addition to specimens fit for the world's finest collections.

"Now is the time to consider consigning high-grade examples of fine minerals," said James Walker, Director of Nature & Science at Heritage. "Established collectors are looking for unique items for their collections and we're seeing a whole new community of collectors getting ever more comfortable purchasing exotic varieties through HA.com."

A lively example of Legrandite sold for $93,750. The bright yellow sprays of parallel crystals set against a background of reddish-brown Limonite gave collectors clues that the example came from an extremely rare deposit in Mexico. Standing a full 13 inches tall, a large example of Tourmaline from Brazil's Sapo Mine and accented by sprays of blue and pink crystals, crossed the block for $81,250.

Resembling an enormous, single chunk of fresh anise candy, an Italian specimen of yellow Sulfur on a block of dark Calcite, sold for $68,750. A pink and white speckled specimen of Rhodochrosite, from the Hedgehog Pocket in Colorado's Sweet Home Mine, fetched $62,500 and a significant Rose Quartz on Quartz, sold for $37,500.

A stellar line up of fossils and natural history specimens was led by a Gem Ammonite in matrix measuring a rare, 21 inches wide. The iridescent, gemstone quality fossil dates back 70 million years and sold for $40,625. A close second was a rare Icthyosaur fossil preserved on a plate measuring 51 inches long. Discovered in Germany, the desirable fossil reptile sold for $35,000.

A rare and pristine egg from the extinct Elephant Bird, a creature that once inhabited the island of Madagascar, sold for $31,250, and a large multi-fish plate, displaying preserved fossils from two different genera across a field that stands 91-inches tall, sold for $23,750.

A fine selection of rare meteorites caught bidder's fancy as a Gibeon Meteorite with a large natural hole, discovered in Namibia, sold for $23,750, a large Odessa Meteorite, originating in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, changed hands for $21,250, and the famous Sikhote-Alin meteorite from Russia fetched $13,750.

Additional highlights include, but are not limited to:

A 61.43 carat Tanzanite gemstone realized $38,393.

A 7-inch translucent crystal of Brazilian Aquamarine sold for $35,000.

A specimen of Native Silver from Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula crossed the block for $27,500.

A dazzling Marra Mamba Tiger's-Eye Sphere, from Western Australia, sold for $22,500.