Need help pricing my geode

I have 2 round geo's approximately 24'' around, I'm looking to possible sell them. Would you guys recommend opening them first, if so any recommendations in Colorado area.. Thanks new to this, also any idea what them might be worth? Thanks

MONEY MIKE You don't give much info except for the fact that they are unbroken and about 24" in size. For an educated guesstimate, we need their location.....where they were found.... and whether they are truly geodes or some other rounded nodule. At this point weight might help as unbroken examples are often sold by the pound while opened geodes are sold by what the inside looks like. In Indiana unbroken large (true) geodes fetch 50 cents to $1.00 per pound in lawn and garden supply shops and are usually used in outside gardens. They don't have much collector interest but might fetch $50 .00 to $100.00 based on weight and their use as garden decorations. On this website Go to MIDWEST USA SEDIMENTARY GEODES for pix and descriptions of display quality American geodes. CHEERS........BOB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2012 11:51AM by BOB HARMAN.

It makes a bit of difference if they are 24" in circumference or 24" in diameter. Opening big geodes without the proper tools will probably end up with a pile of small rocks.

Money Mike,
I for one don't particularly care to speculate on the value of your geodes partly because I don't know who you are and certainly not without a picture or knowing where they are from. How do you know that they are even geodes?

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Many of the posts regarding geodes on this theme want a valuation of large and very large geodes, usually unbroken. So just today I took several pix of local very large and unbroken Indiana geodes around the Bloomington area. The first pix shows a 100+ lb. example used for an ornament atop a limestone post along a residence driveway; there is another similar one on the other side of the driveway. The second pix shows one of the largest Indiana geodes ever found, it weighs 347 lbs (!) and is part of the small geode display in the geology department of Indiana University. These very large geodes are mostly from the Salem area of Washington County. I will repeat my former statements that these very large examples are only very, very rarely of display quality when opened and have virtually no true collector value. As they are just too big and heavy to move around in displays or to rock shows, and not pretty inside, they are sold unopened, by the pound, at lawn and garden supply shops around here. The usual price is 50 cents to one dollar a pound and their use is in the garden or as outdoor ornaments. CHEERS........BOB

I don't think they are things that a collector would want to put in their collection. I would not mind one or two in my garden as decoration along with a hexagonal basalt column , etc. Would pay $1/lb for them? I rather doubt it. It will be interesting to hear what other say about the value of these things.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

I figured that this site could help me out...

i have a very huge beautiful mixed colored geode, I would like to know the rarity or price of this "very rare geode"
Its 28" Tall, 14" wide, 6" deep geode, about 80lbs
Its half amethyst and Citrine/Tangerine
(it has not been heat treated)

TALON Both your photos are not of such good quality. As far as I can tell you have a 2 foot tall oval amethyst cathedral from either Brazil or Uruguay. The specimens of these that command a premium are those with large quartz crystals and dark purple amethyst and/or those having nice secondary minerals, such as calcites, on top of the amethyst. Your specimen has neither, but has some, to my eye anyway, smallish quartz crystals of pale purple amethyst to citrine colored (rusty stained or true citrine) quartz. To my eye, therefore, it is of rather low end. Anyway, based on what I see, I would value it at about $ 300 to $ 450. Anyone out there think differently?? CHEERS................BOB

Its from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. These kinds of geodes that don't have good dark amethyst commonly sell in lots down in RGS from $3 to $6 per Kg. Your geode was almost certainly from one of these lots.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

These 2 recent photos show many large, but poor quality unopened "field and stream" Indiana geodes from Washington County Indiana. They never look good inside and, as such, have no collector value. Their only use is garden decoration. They are sold unopened by the pound and very commonly for sale, as seen here, on roadside stands in rural southern Indiana. CHEERS............BOB

We used to go to southern Indiana in the summer to buy water melons. Your place looks just like the places that we bought water melons from. How much are they worth? A dollar or two a pound? if you can find those who want them for their garden I would think.

Rock Currier
Crystals not pistols.

Dug a brute up from shale pit in Iowa, west of D.M. Anyways, I'll post pix later since they're on my camera at work right now. It is 5.5' circ. (short ways) and 7.25' circ. (long ways). Comes out to about 5.55 ft3 using a cylinder volume calc. I know... it's not exact... but it gets in the neighborhood. Should weigh 800 + lbs. at 156.5#/ft3 (halfway btwn solid sandstone and granite bulk density) It weighs 588 lbs. Hmmmm...

It is dark yellowish to brownish w/ tiny charcoal marbling throughout, It has a thin (1/8"ish), off-white crust with a stucco type texture (boils like crazy with acid). It got roughed up a bit by the track hoe, two bulldozers, and an endloader before it was kicked off the pile and exposed some quartz looking veins with a pink to reddish hue. Any expert opinions is appreciated.

Hi Miner 49er,
I'm not an expert, but your rock sounds well worthy of a jackhammer with video camera! Good luck,
Rog

MINER49er , Not much I can tell you without some pix, but based on what you say here are my thoughts. Your very large specimen is NOT a geode as there really are none in that part of Iowa. It probably is a large carbonate containing concretion or something similar as you state that it fizzes in acid. As it now is, it has NO collector value as it is way too big, bulky and heavy to move around and to display, or it might have some collector value if broken up and just happen to have cavities in it containing collectible crystals. It might have some per pound value as a large garden decoration. So it costed you time, money, and effort to dig up, but not much in return. Basically, I call these very large lumps "leverites" as I just leave them right where I find them. CHEERS...........BOB

You should have taken the money and ran. I sell many similar geodes for $20 to 30 dollars. Smoky quartz is quite pretty, but just not very rare. The gentleman that cracked it for you.....did he happen to sell it to you also?, and if so, did he want to sell you more? I agree totally with Rock Currier.
Nice rock but It would normally top out at $40 to $50....not saying someone wouldn't pay $400.00......a fool and his money is soon parted.

HEY TIM H , The blog requesting pricing info that you responded to was from JUNE 3 of LAST YEAR !!!!!!! .......June 3, 2011........ That request was on an earlier page on this theme. I suggest that if you want to reply to blogs or requests for info etc etc on this theme, try to be more specific as to which person you are responding to or replying to. It took me a bit trying to figure out if I was missing something recent........... CHEERS...........BOB

Here's a couple pix....

MINER49er Your 2 pix seem to confirm my ideas: A large non geode concretion with a few seams of calcite that fizzed in acid as you noted. As it now is, this has no collector value. You might sell it unbroken by the pound. Also, you can try breaking it up and there might be a small possibility of cavities lined by crystals or you can save your time and energy and just use it as a garden decoration. CHEERS..........BOB

I NEEED HELP APPRAISING MY GEODE I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT COULD BE WORTH . I HAVE ATTACHED A FEW PICS, AND IF SOMEONE COULD GIVE ME AN IDEA HOW MUCH ITS WORTH THT WOULD BE GREAT.

THANKS HAVE A NICE DAY

Geodes are evaluated by how the inside looks and size.