Photo by Courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London

Stibnite from Ichinokawa Mine, Shikoku Island, Japan

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The spectacular 150-pound, 47-cm (18.5 inches) Ichinokawa stibnite specimen sold in April 1884 by Samuel Hanson to the British Museum of Natural History for £100 (about $500). It is still considered to be the finest stibnite specimen in the world. Photo courtesy of the Natural History Museum, London.

Product details

SpeciesStibnite

Added on02/13/2026

LocalityJapan, Shikoku Island, Ichinokawa Mine

Publications

Mineralogical Record 56 2 page 152

Current owner

British Museum of Natural History

Added by the community · Not a registered member

Previous owners

Date	Collector	Acquisition price
—	Samuel Hanson	Not disclosed

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Mineral guide

Learn about Stibnite

dramatic sword-like crystals with steel luster; prized for striking metallic forms, historic Ichinokawa specimens, and diverse global localities.

Regional guide

Stibnite from Ichinokawa Mine, Japan

Ichinokawa Mine, Japan — stibnite famed for large prismatic crystals, metallic luster, and historic Meiji-era provenance; a landmark locality for collectors.

Locality guide