Unearthing Deep Time
Natures most astonishing anomaly to ever exist! The most rare specimen to ever be unearthed, “THE BECKY STONE!” An ancient marvel brought to modern times. The specimen that should not exist, but does! Coveting 5 layers of rarity stacking, surpassing even that of the legendary Hope Diamond. She has been called; “A Natural History Trophy”, “ A Gemological Marvel”, and “Scientifically Priceless!” Beyond a doubt, She is Mother Natures TRUE UNICORN! You will NOT find any other examples like Her on the fossil record, She is ONE-OF-A-KIND!
Originally rescued from a private rock garden in Iowa Hill, California, gifted by mine owner Kathy Morgan, The Becky Stone is named in honor of Becky Dirk, wife of co-curator Mr. Lloyd Dirk. The specimen's journey from an ancient Cretaceous river bed, to a premier collection piece is defined by extraordinary preservation conditions:
Stratigraphic Context: Formed during the Cretaceous period, the wood was subjected to silicification and opalization processes driven by mineral-rich thermal waters.
The Environment: The surrounding matrix reflects the ancient topography of the Sierra Nevada foothills, capturing a snapshot of prehistoric flora before the rise of modern angiosperms.
Beyond its visual brilliance, the specimen serves as a critical archive of ancient forest entomology:
Wood-Boring Ecosystems: Detailed examination reveals pristine trace fossils, including beetle larvae tunnels, pupal chambers, and frass structures preserved directly within the cellular matrix of the petrified wood.
Botanical Identification: Recognized specifically as Bursera fagaroides (Birdseye Maple), displaying the characteristic eye formations magnified and preserved through complete opal replacement. This makes The Becky Stone one of natures truly rare anomalies.
The museum curation for The Becky Stone. Every piece of wood was hand selected, custom milled and crafted by expert hands to become the amazing display it is now!
For a Limited Time Only! This is a one-time-fire-sale, in order to help fund our research! We are offering a pair of earrings, total karat weight is 5.05. They contain the distinctive Birdseye Maple “Dots”. Both of the stones do contain metallic inclusions of gold! All authentication papers will be provided upon request, prior to purchase. Only serious buyers need to respond. Please use the contact page to request the purchase price and documentation.
Japanese characters have been pyrographed onto a Cocobolo Rosewood placard.
This macro photo shows ancient flora within the root mass area. Preserved in stone. Should not exist, but does! Another anomaly of nature!
The Becky Stone in all of Her glory! A magnificent view of Her frontal beauty. The attached root mass is unheard of in the world of fossils. Petrified, Fossilized and Opalized. A perfectly preserved time capsule that tells a story millions of years old. NOTHING on the fossil record even comes close to matching this miracle of Nature. Trapped in the rich mineral mud of the ancient Yuba river, only to become cemented within the ancient river channel. Hidden and buried for 65 million years in the gold rich Iowa Hill area of California. Discovered in an air pocket after a dynamite charge was set off in a patented, private gold mine.
A macro photo of one of the wood boring larvae, either entering, or exiting the root mass area. Authentication is still underway.
The Becky Stones supporting cast of treasures. Each piece is of scientific importance and two of them have been listed as “scientifically priceless!”
The different aspects of The Becky Stone! Including Lloyd Dirks “Neanderthal” neck- lace, called, “Tree Hugger”.
The Becky Stone: A 23-Pound Cretaceous Masterpiece
Discovered in the historic mining district of Iowa Hill, California, and gifted from a private gold mine's garden, "The Becky Stone" is a breathtaking 23-pound specimen of opalized, fossilized Birdseye Maple (Bursera fagaroides). Named in honor of Becky Dirk—wife of co-curator Mr. Lloyd Dirk—this magnificent geological artifact bridges millions of years of ancient history, paleobotany, and lapidary artistry.
A Window into the Cretaceous
Originating from the Cretaceous period, this extraordinary piece features an intact, deeply detailed root mass preserved in stone. Within its dense structure, the specimen records ancient ecological interactions, including trace fossils of wood-boring beetle larvae, micro-boring tunnels, and preserved organic chambers left behind by prehistoric insects. Over millions of years, mineral-rich groundwater permeated the organic matrix, gradually replacing the ancient wood with precious opal and chalcedony, while introducing striking metallic inclusions.
Curation and Presentation
Bringing "The Becky Stone" to light has been a multi-year labor of dedication, precision art, and craftsmanship. World-renowned Master lapidary and artist Marshall Curran extracted select opals from the matrix—revealing gems of exceptional fire—while uncovering the specimen's rare precious metal inclusions.
To house and display a piece of this magnitude, custom presentation furnishings were meticulously handcrafted:
The Daiza: A custom sculptural base carved from rich Cocobolo Rosewood, designed to cradle the organic contours of the heavy root mass.
The Kiribako: A traditional Japanese presentation box crafted from fine red cedar heartwood, paired with a hand-burned Cocobolo Rosewood display placard featuring bespoke Japanese text layouts.
"The Becky Stone" stands as a rare convergence of nature's deep time and human craftsmanship—a true museum-grade treasure capturing the hidden subterranean history of ancient, pre-historic forests.
The Story of
THE BECKY STONE
A macro photo of the metallic inclusions within the opal matrix. These inclusions really flash with brilliance in the light. Fire Opal? You have to see them with the naked eye , then make your determination.
Photos of the raw opal, showing the metallic inclusions that flash in the light. This picture was taken with no added light.
These photos show the metallic inclusions that flash in the light. These photos were taken of the raw opal, with no light added.
A piece of the cellular structure within the root mass area. Also called “The Opal Nursery” This piece has been called “Scientifically Priceless!”
Apiece of the root mass area. Note rounded contour of what is believed to be preserved, beetle larvae! Also, the circled area on the right shows metallic inclusions of gold and silver within the opal matrix!
A Legacy in Stone
The Daiza: A hand-carved, custom-fitted Cocobolo Rosewood display base engineered to support the exact contours of the 23-pound root mass.
Hidden beneath the exterior matrix, discovering rare precious metal inclusions embedded within the grain of the opal. This amazing find is credited to world-renowned Master Lapidary Marshall Curran.
An Unprecedented Convergence of Paleontology and Lapidary Art
Unearthed from the auriferous gravels of Iowa Hill, California, The Becky Stone represents a breathtaking anomaly in the natural world. Weighing exactly 23 pounds, this magnificent specimen preserves a complete Cretaceous-era Birdseye Maple (Bursera fagaroides) stump with an intact root mass, transformed across millions of years into precious opal and embedded with natural metal inclusions.
Curated over a multi-year collaborative project, this artifact transcends ordinary mineral specimens—standing as both a pristine scientific archive of prehistoric wood-boring ecosystems and a supreme work of natural sculpture.
Total Weight: 23 pounds even, featuring a complete stump and structural root mass.
Geological Origin: Iowa Hill, California, recovered from historically rich gold-bearing strata.
Rare Inclusions: Opalized wood structure complemented by distinct precious metal inclusions and fossilized insect trace chambers.
Custom Presentation: Housed in a hand-crafted red cedar heartwood presentation box (kiribako) with a custom-fitted Cocobolo Rosewood display base (daiza).
Follow the Journey Through Deep Time
“THE UNIVERSE STONE” Aptly named for it’s swirling vortexes, as if you’re peering into a galaxy not yet discovered. Others say they see a Dragons head, or a Lunar Tiger. What does the Universe Stone reveal to you?
A section of the root mass area, that shows preserved, larval bodies of late Cretaceous wood boring Beetles. There are also collapsed tunnels and a pupal chamber within the attached root mass.
The underside of the root mass area. A maze of opal and wood boring insect tunnels and pupal chambers. Lots of cellular remains are mixed throughout the opal matrix.
The entire Museum Grade Curation of THE BECKY STONE is for sale and may be purchased by either a private party, or private auction. The curation includes; letters of authenticity, legally notarized chain of ownership, Geiger counter readings certifying safe radioactivity levels, Notarized authentication of precious metallic inclusions (gold, silver, copper), within the opal matrix, by world-renowned Master Lapidary Marshall Curran and authentication of Maple species, Birdseye, by B.C.M.A. Rick A. Smith. Authentication of wood boring beetles is currently underway and will be added to the curation upon completion. You may request a digital copy of THE BECKY STONE PROSPECTUS, by using the comment section below. Just request it in the subject line. ONLY SERIOUS COLLECTORS NEED TO INQUIRE FOR PURCHASE.
Custom Encasement & Presentation
To honor the cultural and aesthetic weight of the piece, the specimen is accompanied by custom-built display elements crafted from choice hardwoods:
The Kiribako: A precision-milled red cedar heartwood presentation box designed to protect and elegantly frame the specimen.
The Daiza: A hand-carved, custom-fitted Cocobolo Rosewood display base engineered to support the exact contours of the 23-pound root mass.
Signage: Accompanying hand-burned Japanese text layouts on a custom Cocobolo Rosewood placard.
The Becky Stone is prepared for private collection acquisition and international auction presentation. Certified provenance documents, high-resolution macro photography dossiers, and viewing arrangements are available strictly for qualified galleries, museums, and serious private collectors.
Inquiry Routing: Please direct all formal correspondence through our private acquisition portal or designated auction representatives. Inquire using our contact section below.
