This old-timer from the May Stone and Sand Quarry near Fort Wayne, Indiana, was mined in the Summer of 1970 by Henry Fisher, an iconic Midwest field collector. This was Henry’s favorite piece, and he felt that this was the best miniature fluorite from the area. In general, fluorite from Indiana is scarce on the market, the pockets are small, the rock is notoriously difficult to work, and no significant discoveries have been made in decades, even though the quarry remains active.

The specimen’s distinctive golden-yellow color is a rare occurrence in fluorite, contributing to its warm and attractive appearance. The main cube is glassy, with razor-sharp edges and unique growth patterns that reveal yellow, brown, and burgundy zoning. Fully formed and exposed, it exemplifies the textbook cubic structure of fluorite. To me, its overwhelming aesthetics are everything I seek in a miniature: a large and prominent focal crystal complemented by a sprinkle of contrasting matrix.