Zagi Mt Bastnasite I have no intention of ever selling this specimen, and my daughter who also has her collection loves it as much as I do, so I presume she will never sell it either. Just yesterday the owner of a large well known collection here in Australia asked me after seeing it what a specimen like that would be worth, and well it actually made me curious also. Anyway I thought where better to get some value estimations then right here. Measurements in total 190mm x 125mm, largest crystal 36mm x 30mm Thanks in advance, Craig. 0679159001213770156.jpg mod_embed_images_loadimage('f9de8b82f17df9eaca5bb0dab57d53c8', 'http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?addon,59,module=embed_images,url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mindat.org%2Fphotos%2F0679159001213770156.jpg', 'http://www.mindat.org/photos/0679159001213770156.jpg', 'http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?addon,59,module=embed_images,check_scaling=1,url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mindat.org%2Fphotos%2F0679159001213770156.jpg', '', 135541, 600, 600, 'Loading image ...', false); 0399372001213770346.jpg mod_embed_images_loadimage('5d95b4a42b41acaba0868422e4c39d62', 'http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?addon,59,module=embed_images,url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mindat.org%2Fphotos%2F0399372001213770346.jpg', 'http://www.mindat.org/photos/0399372001213770346.jpg', 'http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?addon,59,module=embed_images,check_scaling=1,url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mindat.org%2Fphotos%2F0399372001213770346.jpg', '', 135541, 600, 600, 'Loading image ...', false); http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135541#msg-135541 Mon, 20 May 2013 04:01:11 +0000 Phorum 5.2.15a http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,140447#msg-140447 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,140447#msg-140447
Woe is me.]]> Tim Jokela Jr Mineral Valuation Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:02:41 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,138289#msg-138289 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,138289#msg-138289 Gail Spann Mineral Valuation Sat, 16 May 2009 21:11:35 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136771#msg-136771 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136771#msg-136771
Your correct !! I certainly wouldn't insure against such works, just curious.

I will now consider everything you guy's have said, and decide within the next few days " to trim or not to trim ".

Anyway, once again thank you all for your input.

Regards,
Craig.]]> Anonymous User Mineral Valuation Tue, 05 May 2009 00:37:17 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136751#msg-136751 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136751#msg-136751 Rob Woodside Mineral Valuation Mon, 04 May 2009 20:27:37 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136748#msg-136748 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136748#msg-136748 I think it would be impossible to insure a specimen for anything else than transport damage if you decided to send it to someone for trimming. And even insurance against transport damages for a mineral specimen of a high value would probably not be easy. To get an insurance against an accidemntal break or the event that the crystal should pop off matrix during trimming is probably impossible. To decide a premium for an insurance you would have to be able to calculate a risk which is quite impossible. I think if you ask yourself if you would put up an insurance against such an event yourself, the answer would be no. But maybe I am too conservative. If the insurance business had been more cautious in the way they handled deafult risks in the capital market, AIG and other companies would not need billions of taxpayers money to bail them out.

(Many people do not like cutting to trim a specimen, but in your case a clean cut through the matrix could give you the exact trim you would like and a specimen that could also stand on a flat surface. Such a procedure would be more predictable as you could bandage the part of the matrix with the crystal before the cutting. I would at least consider that option if you are afraid the crystal might pop off or that the trimming could go the wrong way through the matrix).

Knut]]> Knut Eldjarn Mineral Valuation Mon, 04 May 2009 20:07:09 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136678#msg-136678 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136678#msg-136678
Does anyone know anything about insurance of specimens prior to such works ??

Regards,
Craig.]]> Anonymous User Mineral Valuation Mon, 04 May 2009 05:12:26 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136640#msg-136640 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136640#msg-136640 Rob Woodside Mineral Valuation Sun, 03 May 2009 18:01:00 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136533#msg-136533 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136533#msg-136533 Tim Jokela Jr Mineral Valuation Sun, 03 May 2009 01:25:38 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136388#msg-136388 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136388#msg-136388
Regards,

Craig.]]> Craig Mercer Mineral Valuation Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:44:07 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136386#msg-136386 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136386#msg-136386
[www.mindat.org]

Jaf]]> Joseph Freilich Mineral Valuation Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:27:58 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136377#msg-136377 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136377#msg-136377
I paid very little for it. That Bastnasite actually came with a lot of Aquamarines I purchased from Pakistan.

I like you have a love for "cool rare things".

Regards,

Craig.]]> Craig Mercer Mineral Valuation Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:26:25 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136348#msg-136348 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136348#msg-136348 Alfredo Petrov Mineral Valuation Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:43:22 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136347#msg-136347 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136347#msg-136347 Steve Hardinger Mineral Valuation Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:36:27 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136304#msg-136304 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136304#msg-136304 Rock Currier Mineral Valuation Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:53:31 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136287#msg-136287 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136287#msg-136287
I would argue the opposite. Prices might go down when the economy gets better. An economist said on NPR that some investors were buying art now because they had lost faith in the stock market. Those high end buyers who see expensive minerals as an investment might be thinking likewise.]]> Alfredo Petrov Mineral Valuation Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:48:42 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136277#msg-136277 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,136277#msg-136277
Needs a trim.

I'd sure want to scope the base of the crystal, just to be sure.

36mm is a very healthy size.

What'd you or your daughter pay for it?

Value is hard to estimate; the nouveau riche can appreciate a shiny Sweet Home rhodo, but wouldn't be intested in something small and brown. Trick is to find a loaded collector that actually knows what the mineral is and why it's such a good piece... 3k would be a bargain, the big boys selling to the kids with the big toys, though... sky's the limit... 7k, or a few times that if it's Wilensky quality??? I have no trouble imagining that on a custom base in a nice glass case at Tucson or Munich with a five digit tag... though perhaps I'm biased towards cool rare things.

One has to wonder how many ass-kicking perfect matrix bastnaesites came out of Zagi, and bear in mind that that's the only locality you're gonna get a crystal like that from. One might suggest that a piece like that is quite a bit rarer than an old master painting...]]> Tim Jokela Jr Mineral Valuation Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:20:27 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135567#msg-135567 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135567#msg-135567
Kind regards,
Craig.]]> Craig Mercer Mineral Valuation Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:30:24 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135547#msg-135547 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135547#msg-135547 Rock Currier Mineral Valuation Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:08:42 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135544#msg-135544 Re: Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135544#msg-135544
You really have a fabulous Bastnäsite. An appraisal in this forum of "trophy-quality" specimens that are clearly among the best for locality or best of species makes little sense. Your guesses as to what such a specimen might fetch at an auction or when sold on the irocks website is probably as good as that of anyone else based on the prices you can see on the web.
Knut]]> Knut Eldjarn Mineral Valuation Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:43:16 +0000 http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135541#msg-135541 Zagi Mt Bastnasite http://www.mindat.org/forum.php?read,59,135541,135541#msg-135541
Measurements in total 190mm x 125mm, largest crystal 36mm x 30mm

Thanks in advance,
Craig.



]]> Craig Mercer Mineral Valuation Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:04:26 +0000