Native Copper (Historic Specimen). Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, USA. 16.1 x 8.8 x 7.2 cm (6.34 x 3.46 x 2.84 in). ...

Description

Native Copper (Historic Specimen)
Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, USA
16.1 x 8.8 x 7.2 cm (6.34 x 3.46 x 2.84 in)

It would be no reach of the imagination to call this Native Copper specimen one of the finest to come from the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is not massive, but it is extraordinarily beautiful, and the quality of the crystals is exceptional in all characteristics. The largest of these is a relative behemoth at 2.7 centimeters in length, with many of the other crystals following closely. The faces of these crystals are as sharp as any gem mineral, and the patina on the Copper becomes much lighter around the edges, further defining the excellent modified dodecahedral and tetrahexahedral forms. Again, it cannot be understated how difficult it is to find Native Copper examples that are shaped so nicely, especially considering that the vast majority of this material is amorphous. It is no surprise then that this specimen passed through the hands of some very significant collectors, beginning with the prestigious Lucius Lee Hubbard, who was the state geologist of Michigan in the 1890s - meaning this example is, at the very least, over 130 years old in terms of its collection history! Hubbard then gave the specimen to the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum of what is now Michigan Tech. From there it was acquired by Donald Olson, famed for his exquisite taste in Copper, and then finally, to Robert Hesselgesser.

Ex. Lucius Lee Hubbard collection (#526).
Ex. A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum collection.
Ex. Donald K. Olson collection.

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