Park officials say the Dream Angel was the 851st diamond found at the park this year. Bankston has said she will decide whether to keep the gem or sell it after it is appraised, according to reports.
Posted on 11/18/2008 4:35:07 PM PST by JoeProBono
A Baton Rouge, LA woman visiting Arkansas' Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro found an apparently flawless 2.09-carat white diamond the size of a tooth.
Rhonda Bankston reportedly says she found out about the park's surface diamond prospecting on a show about finding cash and treasure. She was into her second day of prospecting by surface searching over a newly plowed field with friends when she spotted the gem.
The park is located on the eroded surface of the world's eighth largest diamond-bearing deposit and visitors pay a fee to surface search there.
Park officials say the Dream Angel was the 851st diamond found at the park this year. Bankston has said she will decide whether to keep the gem or sell it after it is appraised, according to reports.
Is this for real?
Yep. While I haven’t been there I have indeed read the literature. State park in Ark.
So that’s where I lost it!
The size of a tooth? I’d say it’s more of a nose sized diamond.
PING as a Place I want to go visit in 2009.
"According to the article referenced below, more than 700 diamonds have been found this year at the Crater of Diamonds park. Actually, I was wrong… That park is not the only place in the U.S. that allows people to find and keep diamonds. It’s the only place in the world!!! That’s the American dream!"
major bumpage for treasure hunting expedition
Ok. I totally want to go there. I’d spend my entire vacation digging for diamonds.
How much $$$$?
Go right after they plow it up to bring them to the surface, right after a rain and walk into the sun looking for a glint. They look like a smooth piece of glass. It looks like it is is in an old volcano, Take a pair of boots to navigate the sticky clay like soil.
I never found anything but they have several on display in their uncut state and I can see how they would most likely be overlooked.
While you are there Northern Arkansas has some of the most beautiful scenery in the US. I was born in the Southern part which is kind of swampy. (duck-hunting capital of the US.)
Thanks for the tips! I’m not a very lucky person, so I can’t see myself finding anything, but it still would be fun to go.
I think that pic is of the Uncle Sam diamond.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.