You are looking at a King's Manassa turquoise cabochon (cab). This turquoise comes from Colorado, USA. It was free form hand cut and has a good shine. The stone has a thin layer of backing. The penny shown at 19mm for a reference only. The stone shown in the picture is the one that you will receive. Thanks for looking and check out my other items! I do combine shipping for no extra charge. I also ship any order or invoice over $100 for FREE in the USA. Be sure to add me to your favorites list!
Manassa turquoise is mined at Manassa in south central Colorado, but began its mining days with Ancient Pueblo peoples. The Manassa mine is also known as King's Manassa. The name comes from I.P. King, the gold miner who rediscovered this vein of turquoise and whose descendants mined the site. Another known name for the turquoise that comes from this mine is "Lick Skillet" turquoise which comes from the hard times that the King family and local miners had to suffer though while mining the precious stone. It is known for its blue-green to green color with a golden or brown matrix. The golden matrix comes from the host rock, rhyolite. The Manassa mine is still in production, and is now owned by Dennis and Lucy Cordova and their family. The Cordova's also own Crow Springs Turquoise and Pilot Mountain Turquoise.