Ironstone's Crown Jewel
Encyclopedia
Ironstone’s Crown Jewel is the world’s largest piece of crystalline gold
. At 44 pounds troy (16.4 kg), it is substantially larger than the Fricot "Nugget" (13.8 lb troy; 5.15 kg) and the Whopper (11.7 lb troy; 4.37 kg), the next two largest specimens.
is usually found in an amorphous state: the atoms are connected, but not aligned in a nice crystalline structure. Under certain circumstances, the gold atoms are deposited in a crystalline structure. See Crystal structure
- cubic face-centered for a drawing of the arrangement of the gold
atoms. Such is the case for this sample.
The gold specimen was unearthed at the Sonora Mining Co. mine in Jamestown, California
on December 24, 1992. Along with other gold-heavy quartz pieces, the gold was first believed to be bits of damaged machinery.
A number of days later, the materials were examined and found to be full of gold. The “Crown Jewel” was the largest of the pieces, weighing in at 60 lb troy (22.4 kg).
Word of the find first hit the press on December 31, 1992.
The find caused the Gold Trust and Reinsurance company of the West Indies to make a $20 million offer for the Sonora Mining Corp. of Toronto, Canada.
The National Enquirer
even picked up the story.
Many of the smaller specimens of crystalline gold were sold at a Tucson, Arizona
gem show.
In April 1993, the Sonora Mining Corp. offered the gold specimen as a bond to Tuolumne County, California
. The County ultimately declined the offer.
Among those seeking to buy the specimen was the French government.
, had the sample etched with acid and most of the rock removed by tweezers. This process took over a year. What resulted is the specimen that has little original rock in the upper part, and more original rock in the bottom part.
To display “Ironstone’s Crown Jewel,” Mr. Kautz had a three-story building constructed at Ironstone Vineyards. The upper story includes a vault to hold the gold specimen along with the Jewelry Shoppe that sells items that include unusual “gold in quartz” jewelry.
California Governor George Deukmejian
opened the exhibit at Ironstone Vineyards
.
The specimen is available to be seen during normal Jewelry Shoppe hours at no charge.
pipe organ, the caverns, the extensive gardens, the historic gold mining equipment, etc.
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. At 44 pounds troy (16.4 kg), it is substantially larger than the Fricot "Nugget" (13.8 lb troy; 5.15 kg) and the Whopper (11.7 lb troy; 4.37 kg), the next two largest specimens.
Crystalline gold
GoldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
is usually found in an amorphous state: the atoms are connected, but not aligned in a nice crystalline structure. Under certain circumstances, the gold atoms are deposited in a crystalline structure. See Crystal structure
Crystal structure
In mineralogy and crystallography, crystal structure is a unique arrangement of atoms or molecules in a crystalline liquid or solid. A crystal structure is composed of a pattern, a set of atoms arranged in a particular way, and a lattice exhibiting long-range order and symmetry...
- cubic face-centered for a drawing of the arrangement of the gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
atoms. Such is the case for this sample.
History
One form of gold found in California is gold in quartz which is often hard-rock mined in vertical or horizontal shafts. This contrasts with placer (loose gold, often nuggets) and fine gold that has been recovered by hydraulic mining.The gold specimen was unearthed at the Sonora Mining Co. mine in Jamestown, California
Jamestown, California
Jamestown is a census-designated place in Tuolumne County, California, United States. The population was 3,433 at the 2010 census, up from 3,017 at the 2000 census.A scene from the movie Hidalgo was filmed in Jamestown...
on December 24, 1992. Along with other gold-heavy quartz pieces, the gold was first believed to be bits of damaged machinery.
A number of days later, the materials were examined and found to be full of gold. The “Crown Jewel” was the largest of the pieces, weighing in at 60 lb troy (22.4 kg).
Word of the find first hit the press on December 31, 1992.
The find caused the Gold Trust and Reinsurance company of the West Indies to make a $20 million offer for the Sonora Mining Corp. of Toronto, Canada.
The National Enquirer
The National Enquirer
The National Enquirer is an American supermarket tabloid now published by American Media Inc . Founded in 1926, the tabloid has gone through a variety of changes over the years....
even picked up the story.
Many of the smaller specimens of crystalline gold were sold at a Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
gem show.
In April 1993, the Sonora Mining Corp. offered the gold specimen as a bond to Tuolumne County, California
Tuolumne County, California
Tuolumne County is a county in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The northern half of Yosemite National Park is located in the eastern part of the county. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,365, up from 54,501 at the 2000 census...
. The County ultimately declined the offer.
Among those seeking to buy the specimen was the French government.
Display
After acquiring the gold-bearing rock, John Kautz, proprietor of Ironstone VineyardsIronstone Vineyards
Ironstone Vineyards is a winery located in Calaveras County in the California Sierra Foothills. Its wines are derived from grapes both local to their production facility outside Murphys, California as well as from the Lodi, California area....
, had the sample etched with acid and most of the rock removed by tweezers. This process took over a year. What resulted is the specimen that has little original rock in the upper part, and more original rock in the bottom part.
To display “Ironstone’s Crown Jewel,” Mr. Kautz had a three-story building constructed at Ironstone Vineyards. The upper story includes a vault to hold the gold specimen along with the Jewelry Shoppe that sells items that include unusual “gold in quartz” jewelry.
California Governor George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
opened the exhibit at Ironstone Vineyards
Ironstone Vineyards
Ironstone Vineyards is a winery located in Calaveras County in the California Sierra Foothills. Its wines are derived from grapes both local to their production facility outside Murphys, California as well as from the Lodi, California area....
.
The specimen is available to be seen during normal Jewelry Shoppe hours at no charge.
Name
The name "Ironstone's Crown Jewel" comes from Kautz family usage and promotional materials for the winery. It's the "crown jewel" among the "jewels" of the historic Alhambra TheatreAlhambra Theatre
The Alhambra was a popular theatre and music hall located on the east side of Leicester Square, in the West End of London. It was built originally as The Royal Panopticon of Science and Arts opening on 18 March 1854. It was closed after two years and reopened as the Alhambra. The building was...
pipe organ, the caverns, the extensive gardens, the historic gold mining equipment, etc.