Value & Cost of Lake Superior agates

The cost and value of a Lake Superior agate, like most other things, depends on its quality. Here, we will explore how Lake Superior agates are valued.

No one equation will determine the cost of a Lake Superior agate, but for rough, tumbling stone, fifty cents for every pound is about what the price starts at. After that average minimum price, the price is between one dollar to five dollars for each pound of agate. Keeping this in mind, the price for the best of the best Lake Superior agates can be up to one thousand dollars per pound. When you have prices higher than ten dollars per pound, it is very hard to estimate the price based on an illustration or even a photograph.

When determining the value of a Lake Superior agate, you will need six basic aspects.

First, there’s the weight of the agate. The more an agate weighs, the more valuable and pricey it will be. An agate more than five pounds is perfect, while an agate less than ½ a pound will not sell for much at all.

Secondly, there’s the shape of the agate. If the agate is sharp and jagged, it will not be worth as much as an agate that is perfectly smooth, round, and “waterwashed”, or gradually polished by the waves of a lake or river.

Thirdly, there is the color aspect. Striking red and white colors are much more desirable than dark, dull, unappealing colors, and thus, will be worth more.

Next, there are the banding patterns of the Lake Superior agate. This encompasses the definition and contrast in the bands of the agate in addition to the types of banding in the agate. A Lake Superior agate with banding that has high contrast and that stands out is much better than an agate with no visible banding. When comparing an agate that has a medium to low amount of contrast but has good to an agate that has highly contrasting, it is up to the beholder which one is better.

Then, there is the amount of quartz. Quartz is a crystal that is usually white and translucent, and generally undesirable in a Lake Superior agate unless it is a purple color, called amethyst. If an agate has got more quartz, it is less valuable. If an agate has got less quartz, it is more valuable. There is one exception, though. Let’s use an example. If agate “A” has one weight unit of quartz arranged between its bands, and agate “B” has one weight unit of quartz in the center of the agate, agate “A” will be more valuable. This is because if an agate has quartz in between its bands, then it is a rarer variety called a “floater” agate; and if something is rare, it will be worth more.

Finally, there is the overall composition of the agate. An agate that has been visibly broken, fractured, and chipped will be very low in terms of monetary value as opposed to a whole, smooth, fully banded stone.

In conclusion, there are many factors influencing the value and cost of a Lake Superior agate. They include weight, shape, color, banding patterns, quartz, and overall composition of the agate.