Scorodite

$20,000.00

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T

The ArkenstoneFeatured

3,403 for sale·Member since 2026

A significant scorodite matrix specimen from the famous single best of species pocket in the late 1960s, this is a three-dimensional and dramatic specimen with display impact. Scorodite has a mesmerizing unique color and flash of luster, and this pocket produced the world's best of species. This was brought out of Africa by the legendary dealer Walt Lidstrom, known for his taste and fairness both. He obtained it from the legendary dealer Charlie Key in Namibia; and sold it to Jim and Dawn Minette in 1971 (per Minette's catalog card). The Minettes kept this at the core of their amazing, large thumbnail collection - one of the most prestigious and important put together, until its sale circa 2008 or so when it was sold to Alex Schauss. It thus has provenance to two of the top thumbnail collectors of the Golden Age of mineral collecting and the birth of modern competitive thumbnail specimen collecting. We obtained it from Alex in the purchase of his collection. It was considered in the top 10 of the Schauss collection. This was pictured in the ode to Thumbnail Collecting, as a full page photo: Refined Elegance (Mineralogical Record supplemental book to Vol.53, 2022); and in numerous other publications on the Schauss collection (almost certainly in the old Minette collection book, although we did not go to confirm). A rare treasure for those who lust after Tsumeb minerals. For those who are interested in the history of modern mineral specimen price appreciation, here is a great example! Note when they purchased this, $350 was a LOT of money for a TN specimen in 1971. Only a few crazy collectors were paying such prices for "small minerals" at the time! That was a fortune! I find it fun to see that the Minettes themselves bought it for status and points, but worried about the price paid at the time of purchase, valuing it less than they paid to access it; and then raising the price a few times in their self-appraisals in later years. It has only had a few owners in over 50 years now, as people keep this for decades when they got the chance.