Sale NH0903 Lot 235

PRECIOUS GEM AMMONITE
Placenticeras intercalare
Upper Cretaceous
Bearpaw Formation, Alberta, Canada
The ammonites found in this small area of North America 65.5-100 million years ago have become one of the most sought-after of all fossils, and this example is one of the most impressive ever unearthed. All ammonites have a layer of mother-of-pearl on their shells, present on clay-preserved examples, but only the Placenticeras sp. Of this region, through the action of bentonite sediment and millions of years' compression, has been turned into the precious gem stone ammolite. This is a stupendous example, with bright opalescent colors, fine shape, and full coverage on both sides. While one face flashes with fiery red shades and bright greens, the other displays large prominent patches of gorgeous royal blue, the rarest of all ammolite colors, amidst other shimmering shades of yellow, green and red. A truly first-class, museum-standard specimen, it measures 20 1/2 inches wide and comes with a custom display stand.
Estimate $55,000-70,000