California
Included here are examples of agates and jaspers that I feel are a pretty good cross-section of some of the better varieties of material that can be found in the state of California. The pieces that come from public locations are named, all others are from private locations, some of which I personally discovered. Specimens that are unpolished are shown wet to better show their colors.
Please be sure to know the status of the land you are planning to collect on if you are going out to collect in the field. Be aware if it is BLM, State Land, Forest Service, or someone’s mining claim. Whether you agree with it or not, please respect people’s mining claims and collect somewhere off the claim – there are plenty of areas to collect without having to go on to people’s personal claims.
When collecting in California I tend to focus on finding fortification agate in colors of pink and purple whenever I can find them. Also, one of my favorite areas to collect has always been the Cady Mtns., there is such an amazing variety of beautiful agate there. Unfortunately, word has gotten out about this area and it has been hit really hard in recent years. Luckily, I was able to collect there back in the day when you could still find beautiful pieces on the ground.
New pictures will be added in no particular order. Hopefully, as the gallery grows, all you crazy agate lovers out there will find my collection as interesting and beautiful as I do. Periodically I will include pieces that aren’t agate or jasper, but are noteworthy enough in their own way to be included here.
Enjoy!
Bullion Mtns., Face Polished Slab
5″ x 4 1/2″ x 1/4″ Plume agate from a closed location. This material was dug in the 1940’s.
Malibu, Rough Heel Cut
3″ x 2 3/4″ x 1″ Flower marcasite in agate.
Mojave, Face Polished Nodule
4 1/2″ x 4″ x 2″ Fortification with snowflakes & parallax.
Acton, Face Polished Slab
1 1/2 ” x 1 1/2″ x 1/16″ Iris agate.
Acton, Face Polished Nodule
2 1/2″ x 1 1/4″ x 2″ Sagenite inclusions in agate.
Graham Pass, Face Polished Nodule
3″ x 2 1/2″ x 2″ Banded snowflake agate.
Mojave, Face Polished Nodule
2 1/2″ x 2″ x 2″ Unusual moss/plume agate.
Horse Canyon, Face Polished Nodule
3″ x 1 1/4″ x 2″ Nice mossy stringers in a light pink agate.
Horse Canyon, Face Polished Slab
4″ x 2 1/2″ x 1/4″ Old stock plume, moss, and waterline agate.
Wingate Wash, Face Polished
8″ x 4 1/2″ x 4″ Plume agate, closed location.
Barstow, Face Polished Slab
4″ x 2 1/2″ x 1/4″ Paul Bunyon tube agate.
Malibu Marcasite, Dome Polished Nodule
3″ x 2 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ Plume marcasite in agate.
Palo Verde, Face Polished Rough
8″ x 2 1/2″ x 7″ Large rough chunk of Paisley agate. This location is closed.
Mojave, Face Polished Nodule
2 1/4″ x 1″ x 2″ Moss and waterline agate.
Palo Verde, Polished Slab
3″ x 2 1/2″ x 1/4″ A beautiful example of old stock Paisley agate.
Mojave, Face Polished Slab
4″ x 2″ x 2″ Plume/flame agate.
Mojave, Dome Polished Nodule
3 1/2″ x 1″ x 2″ Old stock original Mojave Blue banded agate.
Pope Canyon, Unpolished Facecut Rough
3 1/4″ x 2 1/8″ x 3″ An extremely rare piece of orbicular jasper from a very old collecting site.
Mojave, Face Polished Nodule
3″ x 2″ x 3″ Fortification, moss, druzy, and waterline agate all together.
Calico, Face Polished Slab
6″ x 1 1/2″ x 1/4″ Flame agate from a rare location that was excavated decades ago.
Death Valley, Unpolished Slab
3 1/2″ x 1 1/4″ x 1/4″ This is Myrickite, a very rare type of opalized cinnabar found only in two places in the U.S and highly prized by collectors of rare minerals.
Nipomo, Face Polished Slab
3 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ x 1/4″ Sagenite agate with marcasite plumes.
Pope Canyon, Unpolished Slab
5 3/4″ x 3 1/4″ x 1/4″ An extremely rare piece of orbicular jasper from a very old collecting site.
Calico, Face Polished Slab
4″ x 2″ x 1/4″ Sagenite agate from a rare location that was excavated decades ago.