First finds post: two beauties and a question

[DirtManicure]

First official brag post, because I can’t not with these stunners! Not mad at today, today! Finally sifted through some bags of dirt we brought home a while ago after a San Diego/Julian (Mom’s Pies!) day trip, and the land of tourmaline certainly did not disappoint, I must have been a good girl that week!

First out was this one, just over a pound of rainbow moonstone (plagioclase feldspar) with muscovite mica, black, green and white tourmalines, and a little standard orthoclase moonstone.
Took me a minute to see but thankfully I noticed the shape before I got the dremel started up- that’s an extra sparkly crinoid fossil right there! Well, about 1/3 of one anyway, but it’s still a crystallized quarter billion year old carnivorous marine flower monster thing. So that’s cool.







And then came this little lithium loaded delight, just along for the ride in another dirt scoop... 80.5ct of pale pink tourmaline with gorgeous rainbow play!





Not too bad a day IMO.

This leads me to my question: where does one go to sell rough precious stone? I mean, I could toss it on my Etsy page with whatever number I decide is appropriate attached to it, but I’d rather find someone who knows what’s what. I have a few more items which could stand to be appraised if not sold off, and might even want to have a bit faceted up for personal use.
Do I look for a lapidary, vs a gem dealer? Wander on over to CSUF and bug the geology department? You’d think it would be simple here in the OC (yes, like the housewives tv show- the shinier part of “Los Angeles” for any non-US folks) but everything around here tends to focus on retail-ready prefab stuff.

Thanks for taking a peek and any guidance, guys! Have a great night!

RJ

 

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[ToddsPoint]

You pics didn't show up. Please try again. Gary

 

[against the wind]

Pictures didn't post,,
Welcome to the forum from Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania

 

[JeffInMass]

Would love to render an opinion, but can't see any pic- please try to re-upload and welcome aboard!

 

[islamoradamark]

like to those pics

 

[DirtManicure]

Sorry guys! Should be better now, oops!

 

[crashbandicoot]

That,s a nice piece of whatever it was you called it!Too many big old words for this old fart.Still nice!

 

[islamoradamark]

Nice pictures

 

[smokeythecat]

You did very well. I started collecting, or at least trying to collect minerals over 50 years ago when I was a tadpole! The lithium bearing pegmatites are igneous in nature. That said, you won't find a sedimentary crinoid in a pegmatite. Upon closer examination that dark "thing" is either a piece of schorl tourmaline or indicolite tourmaline in the stone. The indicolite is a very, very dark blue, bordering on black. Nice finds. As far as value, not huge, but the pink piece might facet a stone. Check Ebay for comparitive prices.

 

[DirtManicure]

Thanks all! I try with the pics... sometimes the rocks are as shy as a 4 year old at her first dance recital! And Smokey, that was my cat’s name about the time I started collecting, I have my first artifact still. A knife handle I found on my family’s land when I was 5! It’s almost identical in size and shape to my daily carry now, but it’s just chert vs the modern anodized hot pink.