Are agates worth anything?

Most agates are cheap ($1 – $10), but some can be very expensive ($100 – $3000) depending on their type, colors, and the location where they were found. Tumbled agate is automatically more expensive than raw agate and those with very vibrant colors, fine bands or are found in one place only also cost more.

What color of agate is most valuable?

Dendritic Agate

It's called the Plentitude Stone. It is considered to be the most valuable form of agate. Dendritic agate is associated with the ancient dryads of Greece.

Can you sell agates?

Agate rocks are abundant and sell in the marketplace as home accents and as prized specimens to collectors. With raw agates readily available, it is possible to develop a business and sell these rocks to both wholesale and retail customers worldwide.

Are large agates worth anything?

In general, agate values are quite modest. Their prices reflect mainly labor and artistry rather than the value of the material itself. Agates of large size or with particularly distinctive, fine, or landscape-like color patterns are at a premium.

Is agate A rare stone?

Agate (/ˈæɡ. ət/) is a common rock formation, consisting of chalcedony and quartz as its primary components, with a wide variety of colors.

What agates are worth money?

How much is a agate worth?

Most agates are cheap ($1 – $10), but some can be very expensive ($100 – $3000) depending on their type, colors, and the location where they were found. Tumbled agate is automatically more expensive than raw agate and those with very vibrant colors, fine bands or are found in one place only also cost more.

How do I identify an agate rock?

Inspect the surface of the stone for pit marks. Agates sometimes form in igneous rock and are surrounded by softer rock that erodes away, which can result in surface pitting. Slide your fingers into a crack in the stone or a part of the exterior that has worn away. If you feel waxiness, this is a sign of an agate.

Why are agates so special?

The stone itself is distinguished by impressive shades of natural colors and contrast in the band patterns it contains. The characteristic band patterns—which begin at the center of the rock and move outwards like the rings on a tree—are visually dynamic.

What do you do with agates?

Can I sell rocks I find?

Sell to a Rock Shop

Ideally, if you found a local rock shop to do business with, this would be a great source of selling your collection. This is a very common way to sell rocks for part-time rock hunters. You can easily search for a local rock shop and establish a relationship.

Is it OK to take rocks from the beach?

Tyson Butzke, a California State Parks ranger, cited the California Code of Regulations, which bans gathering of any items, even shells, from beaches. Removing a rock is even worse. It is considered “tampering with geological features.”

How do you price rocks?

The value of rocks and minerals is determined by how well documented and cataloged they are, the quality of the specimen, perceived rarity, and sale history. There is no set value for any specimen. Ultimately their value is determined by what someone else is willing to pay.

What color is agate naturally?

Agate occurs in a wide range of colors, which include brown, white, red, gray, pink, black, and yellow. The colors are caused by impurities and occur as alternating bands within the agate. The different colors were produced as groundwaters of different compositions seeped into the cavity.

Are agates considered gemstones?

Agate is a banded form of finely-grained, microcrystalline Quartz. The lovely color patterns and banding make this translucent gemstone very unique. Agates can have many distinctive styles and patterns, but each Agate is unique in its own habit, with no two Agates being the same.

Where is agate usually found?

Agate is found throughout the world. In the United States it is produced in several western states; Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana are the chief sources of gemstones. Most agates occur in cavities in eruptive rocks or ancient lavas.

What does agate look like on the beach?

​The most important identifying characteristics of agates on a beach are: opacity, color, banding and pitting. Opacity (translucent quality) - All agates are very translucent when held up to the light. Even the beginner beach comber will notice the translucent quality of an agate as they explore a beach.

What's the biggest agate ever found?

The largest agate measures 61,090.2 kg (134,680.84 lb) and was verified at an event organized by the Development & Reform Commission of Fuxin Municipal Government in Fuxin City, Liaoning Province, China, on 25 October 2009. The agate measures 22.62 cubic meters(798.82 cubic feet).

What state has the most agates?

Agate. Agate is the state gem of Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota. This makes it by far the most popular state gemstone (and ​state rock).

Which colour agate is best?

GREEN AGATE

This variety of agate helps one to make decisions more quickly, and also increases vitality and strength, especially in times when it is lacking. Green agate is said to bring courage to its wearer.

Is onyx and agate the same?

Onyx primarily refers to the parallel banded variety of chalcedony, a silicate mineral. Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands. The colors of its bands range from black to almost every color.

What to look for when looking for agates?

Look for translucence in the stone. If the stone has been broken and you can see telltale traces of a quartz-like mineral along with the red, brown and orange color that comes with many types of agate, there is a good chance that you have an unpolished agate. Examine the stone for banding.

Are all agates banded?

Agate is generally a banded material, and observing bands in a specimen of chalcedony is a very good clue that you have an agate. However, some agates do not have obvious bands. These are often translucent agates with plume-shaped, dendritic or mossy inclusions.

How can you tell agates from jasper?

Jaspers are commonly found in red, green, yellow, tan, brown, and even purple. Agates can be found in pretty much all colors, but certain colors will be more abundant depending on the area that you search. Agates found around the Great Lakes are often a dark reddish color with distinct banding.