Wire Silver on Tetrahedrite
Unknown Owner
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The Smuggler Mine is an incredibly historic and important Colorado silver mine that was discovered and mined extensively in the late 1800s. It was a major U.S. silver producer and also produced some great Native Silver specimens. This particular piece is densely covered with a plethora of discontinuous, silver-gray to dull gray "ropes" and "strings" of wire silver that completely cover a sliver of Tetrahedrite matrix. It is essentially a nest of flat-lying Native Silver on a granular matrix of Tetrahedrite. The Silver strings or wires are layered one on top of the other and even slightly intergrown. Although the mine produced a significant amount of silver, (including a mass that weighed 1,480 pounds!), rarely do we see good specimens available from this famous silver mine. This piece is accompanied by a custom engraved acrylic base. Superb, and display worthy, historic USA classic.
Product details
SpeciesSilver, Tetrahedrite
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions7.5 x 6.0 x 1.5 cm
Added on10/23/2024
LocalityUSA, Colorado, Portland Mine
Known provenance
| Date | Collector | Acquisition price |
|---|---|---|
| 08/2024 | Unknown Owner | Not disclosed |
| — | The Arkenstone | Not disclosed |
Learn more
Mineral guide
Learn about Silver
native silver with wire, leaf, and dendritic forms, bright luster and patina; prized for rare isometric crystals and iconic localities in collections.Regional guide
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