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 Replies: 10 / Views: 7,925 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Recently, I visited the Kongsberg mint and mining museum. Norway's Kongsberg mint was situated there due to rich silver deposits, which were smelted and struck as coinage. These deposits include native "wire silver", a special form of crystalline silver, for which Kongsberg is famous. Here are a few of the more spectacular samples at the museum. This sample weighs 25.25 lbs!   A few smaller, but interesting samples. Wire silver grows in rock cavities under specialized conditions.    A close-up of typical silver ore from the Kongsberg area, showing the high content.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3670 Posts |
Wow that is amazing! I would like to know the overall silver weight an value, priceless no doubt, lol....
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
Beautiful!like natural sculptures. I would love to own one of those for my mineral collection.
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
10045 Posts |
I think they're valued highly by collectors, since the Kongsberg is no longer in operation.
This part of the museum is normally under lock and key. I had to ask it to be unlocked, and I got a personal tour. I was told the 25.25lb specimen is the largest known.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1502 Posts |
Too cool. Never knew silver can collect this way under natural conditions. Wonder if gold can do the same..
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
As mineral specimens these museum exhibits are priceless.
Because I am also a hobby gemcutter, I also attend gem and mineral shows regularly. I have also visited the Mining Museum in Sydney on a couple of occasions.
Even so, these are the nicest examples of native silver mineral specimens that I have seen.
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Valued Member
United States
421 Posts |
Thanks for sharing these great pic's. I will show them to my wife who is a Geologist. I am sure she would love to have one of these. Too bad I can't afford one.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4008 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
I was told...that when the mine first opened, all the silver went to Copenhagen to be minted into coins. That included many nice native silver samples, possibly larger than these.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4008 Posts |
That doesn't surprise me a bit. It is very unfortunate that more of these striking wire silver ropes did not survive in their native form. They are incredible and collectors would pay dearly for them today. Back then, there was probably very little to no collector interest, so into the coin pot they went.  |
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Valued Member
United States
67 Posts |
Thank you for sharing. I wasn't aware silver would form in wires like that. The pictures were beautiful - very thankful a few survived and are on display for the next generations.
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Replies: 10 / Views: 7,925 |
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Posted 01/22/2012 11:09 pm
