Galena

This attractive galena thumbnail specimen from Baxter Springs, Kansas represents a classic example from the historic Tri-State Mining District. The piece features a single well-formed silvery-grey cubic crystal, displaying overgrowths that add visual complexity to its form.

The specimen is nearly a floater, with just an area on the back showing where it was once barley attached to the chert matrix. Material from Baxter Springs is strongly associated with mid-20th-century mining, with most collectible specimens dating from the 1940s through the early 1960s, before large-scale operations declined.

A fine old-time piece that captures both the beauty and history of one of North America’s most important lead-producing regions.

Ex Peter Tarassoff collection