Native Gold

The tiny headland of Hope’s Nose in the Wellswood district of Torquay, Devon, became famous worldwide following the discovery of dendritic crystallised Native Gold within Calcite veins crossing the wave-cut platform.  This charming large thumbnail is a plate of pinkish cream Calcite, both sides of which have fine arborescent dendrites of buttery-rich metallic golden Native Gold forming linked sprays to 1.5 cm long.  The Native Gold is readily visible, but under low (say, x5) magnification, the exquisite crystallised forms are revealed in detail.  Collecting at Hope’s Nose has been strictly banned for well over thirty years, so making specimens now highly sought.