Opal replacement of Clam Fossil - image 1
Opal replacement of Clam Fossil - image 2
specimen video

Opal replacement of Clam Fossil

Unknown Owner
Help improve this recordNo owner is registered for this specimen yet. If it's yours or you know more about it, you can add the owner, provenance, publications and other details.
Sign in to contribute
This aesthetic, colorful specimen is a fossil bivalve animal that has been completely replaced by opal, a rare occurrence in the famous opal beds of Coober Pedy, Australia. These are Cretaceous aged fossils, about 100 million years old! Most simply do not have such strong jewelry-grade play of color as this one, which is actually quite nice for even making into a pendant or jewelry object. It is one of the best thumbnail-sized mineral specimen-quality examples that we have had for sale, for the combination of size/quality/color/completeness. We do not get these often. Every few years, we might find an opal source willing to sell a few reasonably rather than chop them up to pieces for jewelry, but they are, and always have been, expensive as they are also gem materials.

Product details

SpeciesOpal
SizeMiniature
Dimensions3.0 x 1.9 x 0.8 cm
Added on12/02/2024

Known provenance

DateCollectorAcquisition price
07/2026Unknown Owner$1,850.00
The ArkenstoneNot disclosed

Learn more

Opal
Mineral guide
Learn about Opal
amorphous silica with water and a spectacular play-of-color; black, boulder, and fire opal varieties capture brightness, color, and collecting appeal.
Regional guide
Opal from South Australia
Sign in to contribute