Miners Dollars

[fossis]

These 'Pyrite' formations come from coal mines
in the Eastern U.S., they are sometimes called
'Miners Dollars', because the miners carried them
out of the mine in their lunchboxes.

Fossis...........

 

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[irbaddadjoe]

Very neat fossis. I have lots of pyrite but have never seen disks like that.

 

[fossis]

Very neat fossis. I have lots of pyrite but have never seen disks like that.

Yeah Joe, they are pretty neat.

Fossis..............

 

[Old Dog]

Fossis,
Is your "dollar" irridescent?
sometimes they are coated with a microscopic coating of calcite that makes them look irridescent.

I have seen some of these as big as hubcaps.

Yours is a very nice size,
The location on these is Illinois.

OD

 

[fossis]

Fossis,
Is your "dollar" irridescent?
sometimes they are coated with a microscopic coating of calcite that makes them look irridescent.

I have seen some of these as big as hubcaps.

Yours is a very nice size,
The location on these is Illinois.

OD

I don't think this one is, I wasn't sure which state,
thanks for the info.

Fossis..............

 

[Old Dog]

Fossis,
The location on these ia a classic because it is one of the only places in the world where pyrite takes this form.
This habit is usually taken by Marcasite which can be mistaken for pyrite in some cases.
Hope you get a lot of enjoyment from your piece my friend.

Be the collector first, the investor second. the collector will spend the time it takes to enjoy each piece..... before he researches the value.

OD

 

[Old Dog]

Superduty,

Not a fossil!!!
These things form in between layers of coal and shale and are commonly coated with a microscopic druze of calcite that gives them an iridescent appearance.

There are pictures of them in the Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals. Picture numbers are 616, 617, 618 respectively.
The mineral description is on page 374.

They are really neat and if you are from Illinois you should get a couple for your collection.
They are kind of unique to your area.

OD

 

[Old Dog]

Superduty,

Sorry to let you down Buddy,
They are concretions that form in the layers of coal shales.
Not fossil echinoderms - sand dollars.

And the Sparta Illinois location is famous for these.
They test out as Pyrite and are a classic.
They have the crystal habit of a mineral called Marcasite, and a few un educated collectors will try to argue that they are in fact Marcasite. Where chemical testing proves them wrong every time.

Enjoy
OD

 

[fossis]

Superduty,

Sorry to let you down Buddy,
They are concretions that form in the layers of coal shales.
Not fossil echinoderms - sand dollars.

And the Sparta Illinois location is famous for these.
They test out as Pyrite and are a classic.
They have the crystal habit of a mineral called Marcasite, and a few un educated collectors will try to argue that they are in fact Marcasite. Where chemical testing proves them wrong every time.
Enjoy
OD

I was wrong! Ohhh Jeeesssshhh...... Thats NEVER hapen before!!!!!!!! j/k Thanks for the good info .... BTW I live very near Sparta...

That's okay Superduty, I was only wrong once
last year, (thats when I thought I was wrong).

Fossis.............