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Legrandite (Aztec Sun pocket)
This is a highly important display quality "holy grail" kind of mineral specimen for the species, color, location, and the particular find itself. A radiating Legrandite crystal spray of 4.3cm sits contrasted starkly against limonite matrix on this dramatic specimen from the Aztec Sun Pocket: found in November 1977 at the Ojuela mine, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico. So, it is not only gorgeous, but is from the single most important and famous pocket ever. A matrix legrandite with this classic "sun fire yellow" color is almost never going to turn up again in the world market. The pocket was not collected professionally for matrix specimens and few existed. We have context here more than most because as a company, we handled the sale of the Senator Dr. Miguel Romero collection, the most important in Mexico. In that deal, we handled the namesake legrandite piece, the Aztec Sun, back in 2007 when it was one of the first non-gem mineral species to sell for multiple seven figures. This is the same color, style, and intense metallic luster, and is the piece that Jack's good friend and dealer Walt Lidstrom secured for him from the pocket. It then became #973 in the collection shortly after the discovery in 1977; and remained perhaps his favorite yellow rock for nearly 50 years as it sat on the shelf in San Francisco to be seen by so many visitors to Jack's modest home in the Portola district there. This was one of Jacks Top 50 specimens, protected from sale or trading during the lifetime of the collection. It is so important, so colorful, that it would similarly grace any major collection quite well. These kinds of one pocket historic "one-offs" in rare species, of high quality, are simply not available at any price normally. Ex. Jack Halpern collection, from Walt Lidstrom. Figure 229 on page 230 of Addicted to Beauty: The Legacy of Jack Halpern (Mineralogical Record, March 2025). Laszlo Kupi photo.
Unknown Owner
Product details
Species
SizeSmall Cabinet
Dimensions8.1 x 5.8 x 4.6 cm
Locality
Ojuela Mine, Mapimí Mun., Durango, Mexico
Added on04/03/2025
Known provenance
2025/04
Unknown Owner
Not disclosed—Species and Locality Wiki Pages
Collectors of Legrandite
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