Rarestone

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Collect & care · 3 min read

What makes a rock worth money?

What makes a rock worth money?
The short answer: Most rocks people find are worth little in dollars. Quality, crystal form, size, condition and a documented locality are what raise the price.

  1. Be realistic

    The large majority of found rocks are worth little or nothing to a buyer. That's fine: the fun is in the find. Rarestone's value is a rough AI estimate, not an appraisal.

  2. Judge the quality

    Value goes up with vivid color, clarity, crisp banding, sharp undamaged crystals, bigger size at the same quality, and no chips, cracks or glue.

  3. Keep a label

    Write down where and when you found it. A specimen with a documented locality is worth more to collectors and museums.

  4. Get a real value

    For gems, see a qualified gemologist. For specimens, ask at a rock and mineral club or gem show. For a possible meteorite, a university lab comes first.

Tips
  • Cut and polished pieces usually sell for more than rough.
Identify rocks on the spot with Rarestone for iPhone: point your camera at a rock and tap it. Get the app.

Photos: Amethyst geode (Serra Geral Formation, Lower Cretaceous; southeastern Brazil) 3 by James St. John, CC BY 2.0. General information only: rules, safety and values vary, so check locally and ask an expert when it matters.