| When I first got into rock and gem hunting in | | | | priced into the thousands of dollars. One agate |
| Colorado I had a very serious fetish for crystals | | | | from South Dakota brought the |
| and gems. While I would see information here and | | | | finder the healthy sum of $13,000!! So if you're |
| there about agates, I really never quite got the | | | | hunting for items to sell, you |
| clue about the world's fascination with agates until, | | | | may want to look to the agate for a good |
| just after moving to Oregon, I finally stumbled | | | | source of profit.Finding Agates isn't too rough a |
| across my first gem quality banded agate in the | | | | job, yet top quality specimens take some |
| Prineville area while hunting crystals and geodes. | | | | determination and effort as they are not always |
| What a beauty it is - yellow and green banding, | | | | plentiful. While maps abound |
| about 3 inches long. Finally I understood why | | | | with x-marks-the-spot agate hunting locations, |
| people were drawn to agate hunting.Agates can | | | | you still can expect to spend |
| be found all over the world. The patterns are as | | | | some time hunting when you get to a location. |
| diverse as the | | | | Popularly travelled locations can |
| number of stones there are to be found, and all | | | | get hunted out, too. Finding lesser known spots |
| colors of the rainbow are | | | | can take time as people are not |
| represented. For a time I just started collecting | | | | always willing to let you in on their favorite sites. |
| these wonderful stones just for | | | | I have my own favorite site |
| the delight of having them to look at. But as I | | | | which produces spectactular stones. Some time if |
| learned more about the agate I | | | | I find someone who really |
| found there is a whole world of reasons to | | | | wants to go with me I will take them, but this is |
| collect them. Agates not only look | | | | not a location I will scream to the |
| terrific as display items, they are also provide the | | | | world about (not just yet anyway). You can |
| finder a versatile crafting outlet. | | | | expect the same reaction from |
| Beautiful jewelry stones can be crafted from | | | | others when you visit localities and try to elicit |
| agates, from carbochons to beads.Agates can be | | | | information from local rockhounds |
| slabbed and the slabs can be used to make just | | | | about hunting sites. So expect that if you are |
| about anything. I | | | | hunting "off map" that you will be |
| have a collection set aside for slabbing to build a | | | | doing the work of locating beds all on your own. |
| "stained glass" type of window. | | | | It's a tough job, but is very |
| Some people set the stones in fireplaces and | | | | rewarding when you run across an uncharted |
| mantles. You can make table tops | | | | agate bed.To save you some time in looking up |
| inlaid with agate, dangling windchime like | | | | examples of what is just laying around out |
| ornaments, pictures and picture | | | | there for you to pick up, I have provided some |
| frames, and lampshades. Agates can also be | | | | links below that will take you |
| carved into ornamentive boxes, | | | | straight to the pictures. I have looked at all of |
| figurines, perfume bottles, and so on. I saw a tea | | | | them myself (which has done |
| set recently that was carved | | | | nothing but make me want to get off this |
| from agate ( it was magnificent, but I was afraid | | | | computer, pack, and get back out in the |
| to even guess at the price of | | | | field) and found that you can click on any of the |
| such a work).For those of you buying and selling | | | | pictures for a closer look at the |
| agates, the prices of a good stone can be | | | | specimens.Have a good time browsing the |
| somewhat surprising.Stones can go from $5.00 | | | | pictures on these links. I wish you the best of |
| up into the hundreds. Some museums display | | | | luck finding top value specimens of your own. |
| agates | | | | |