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Jasper is considered a widespread and moderate price stone, but some varieties of jasper can hit unexpectedly high prices. Although you may be surprised how the stone gathered on the seaside can be valuable, some properties make jasper so popular and increase its price dramatically.
Jasper is one of the most affordable stones. The price for several centimeters of tumbled stones rarely exceeds $5. However, samples with intriguing textures and vivid colors can reach several hundred dollars. The most valuable type of jasper is orange-and-black bumblebee jasper.
Jasper can occur not only in any color but in any texture. This association gives the possibility of an infinite number of combinations. It’s true for Jasper that you will never find two similar-looking stones. Let’s discover what jasper is, why there are so many varieties of jasper, which one is the most valuable, and, of course, crucial factors of jasper value you should know.
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Is Jasper Worth Any Money
Jasper’s price sometimes reaches several hundreds of dollars because of the unique textures of natural stones. Sometimes, colors and patterns are so beautiful that they can resemble natural landscapes, animals, or even profiles of people. These collection materials are worth the most.
Jasper is an opaque chalcedony that displays various colors, typically brownish reds, yellows, and blacks. Also, you can meet Jasper in green, pink, and orange colors. It can be motley spotted or display straight color bands.
The color of jasper is explained by the various trace elements present, especially iron oxides, which create brownish and red colors. The name Jasper is also applied to any opaque chalcedony without a particular name of its own.
Chalcedony is often called cryptocrystalline quartz because it’s made up of tiny quartz crystals that are invisible to the unaided eye.
So, jasper is technically cryptocrystalline quartz whose crystal grains are too small. That is why Jasper shares the same hardness as quartz (7 on the Mohs scale) and can be used as a gemstone or decorative stone that is stable and can be worn for extended periods.
Additionally, from a mineralogical point of view, we need to clarify Jasper’s terminology a bit. Some jasper varieties can be represented with minerals other than cryptocrystalline quartz. The material traded, like jasper, can be a calcite aggregate or even metamorphic or volcanic rock.
For example, the bumblebee variety of jasper is a carbonate-rich volcanic rock, and dalmatian jasper is a peralkaline rock that consists of feldspars, quartz, alkali amphiboles, and lesser amounts of hematite and epidote.
But still, people continue to call them jasper because rocks are opaque and meet the requirement of exquisite patterns and dazzling colors.
TIP: Quartz is the mineral with the greatest number of varieties, with Jasper one included. Find out the complete list of quartz varieties in the article below:
Complete List of Quartz Varieties: Know Them All!
What is The Value of Jasper (Main Factors)
Jasper’s main value factors differ from those of other minerals and decorative stones. The main reason is that jasper is always opaque, so the transparency and clarity of the stone are not the value factors as we used to work with other translucent gemstones. Here, the texture and patterns come to be replaced.
There are 4 main factors of jasper value: texture, color, landscape pattern, and craftsmanship. The main factor in Jasper’s value is texture. The more intriguing and visually appealing the pattern, the higher the price is. Some unique species can be collection stones and reach hundreds of dollars in price tags.
Color
When it comes to jasper, its color is king. The more intense and rare the hue, the higher the value. While common brown and red jasper varieties are readily available, they are exceptional colors that truly command attention and price.
A prime example is bloodstone jasper, featuring striking red or brownish-red flecks against a deep green background reminiscent of blood drops. This unique and eye-catching color combination elevates Bloodstone’s desirability.
For a jasper to be considered truly valuable, its colors should be vibrant and saturated, free from any muddy or brownish tones.
The most prized jasper varieties boast contrasting colors like the lush green against a bright white background found in ocean jasper or the vibrant yellow paired with black in bumblebee jasper. These combinations create a visual symphony of color that makes these stones highly sought-after.
Texture
The other important characteristic of jasper value is the pattern or texture of the stone. The most pleasing patterns have evenly distributed specks and patches of colors and even gently curved bands.
The best example to illustrate the evenness of texture is Dalmatian jasper, which resembles the spotted coloration of the Dalmatian dog breed.
The most valuable stones will be those of evenly distributed black spots of similar size. This property allows the use of jasper as a stone for bead production, where the primary demand is uniform color and texture for each bead.
Landscape pattern
Landscape pattern is a feature that only Jasper has. Landscape Jasper has no tables of prices to check and calculate depending on some parameters.
The value of landscape jasper is only a matter of individual perception of beauty. A delightful combination of colors and textures may resemble stunning landscapes like mountains, seashores, deserts, and forests.
Also, the jasper texture can accidentally resemble flowers, animals, reptiles, fishes, etc. Nature fantasy has no limits and is ideally seen on jasper stones. Some exclusive species can reach thousands of dollars in price tags.
Craftsmanship
Sometimes, textures can be so intriguing that people recognize animals, fishes, plants, flowers, and patterns of reptiles’ skin or tree’s inner structure.
In these cases, trained stonecutters can emphasize natural jasper resemblance and carve small figures or cameos from rough material. The value of such material varies significantly and is based on the subtly of the work.
TIP: Jasper occurs in many varieties and can satisfy any mineral lover. However, please beware of fakes. Find out how to spot fake jasper in the article below:
Real vs. Fake Jasper: Focus on These 4 Differences
How Much is Jasper Worth per Pound, Kg, Gram & Carat
Commonly, you will see jasper prices for separate tumbled stones or a parcel of tumbles. Per-carat prices are mostly exceptions for the most valuable pieces of unique jasper samples.
The price for jasper is commonly set for every individual tumbled or carved stone. Jasper tumbled stone of 5 – 10 cm size is usually around $5 – 7. Kilo of raw material can cost $20 – 50. The most valuable bumblebee type of jasper cost around $0.5 per carat and $200 for the tumbled stone.
Table of jasper worth per different units (carat, gram, ounce, pound, and kilo).
| Units | Jasper Price |
|---|---|
| per carat | $0.5 for valuable varieties |
| per gram | $0.02 – 0.05 |
| per ounce | $0.56 – 1.41 |
| per pound | $10 – 23 |
| per kilo | $20 – 50 |
BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? The books listed below are the best ones you can find on the internet (Amazon links):
- Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals
- Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home)
- Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids)
Jasper Value per Color / Type
Jasper has dozens of varieties that are differentiated by color and pattern. Unfortunately, an abundance of trade names creates a mess in prices on various markets. Therefore, we prepared a list of the most valuable varieties of jasper and their approximate costs.
The most valuable types of jasper are bumblebee and ocean jasper. Bumblebee jasper is attractive because of the contrast between fiery orange and black colors. The value of bumblebee jasper reaches $100-300. On the other hand, greenish-blue ocean jasper is worth up to $70-80 per tumbled stone.
Table for approximate prices for different colors and types of natural jasper.
| Jasper color/type | Price per tumbled stone (3 – 10 cm) |
|---|---|
| Red | $5 – 10 |
| Bumblebee Jasper | $10 – 30 |
| Ocean jasper | $60 – 80 |
| Leopard skin jasper | $10 – 20 |
| Mookaite Jasper | $30 – 50* |
| Mookaite jasper | $25 – 45 |
| Poppy jasper | $10 –30 *$40 for 290ct (58 grams) |
| Raw | $20 –50 for a kilo of rough |
| Green | $5 – 10 |
| Black | $5 – 10 |
*up to $275 for a 5-inch stone (12,7 cm) and $130 for 200ct (40 grams).
TIP: Cutting and polishing jasper is not difficult and can be very rewarding. You can bring it to a magnificent, glossy shine with a few simple tools. Find out more in the article below:
How To Cut & Polish Jasper: Follow These 8 Simple Steps
Conclusion
Even though jasper is a ubiquitous mineral that can be found even in your backyard or on the nearest river bank, it can reach hundreds of dollars in price. This is because of Jasper’s unique value factors, like texture and pattern. There are 4 main factors of jasper value:
- Color. The most valuable colors are vibrant yellow, lush green, and contrasting combinations of black and white.
- Texture. The texture has to be even. The most attractive samples show a uniform distribution of color spots and gentle twists of bands.
- Landscape pattern. It becomes precious if the jasper sample displays natural landscapes or resembles animals or plants.
- Craftsmanship. When natural jasper patterns are emphasized with skilled craftsmanship, it significantly adds value to a jasper stone.
The most valuable varieties of jasper are:
- Bumblebee jasper – orange and black-colored jasper.
- Ocean jasper – green spherical aggregates on a white or beige background.
- Dalmatian jasper – black and white jasper that resembles the Dalmatian dog breed.
- Poppy jasper – intensively red-colored jasper that looks like poppy flowers.
Brownish-red jasper without a distinct pattern is less valuable. Such stones barely reach 10 dollars for a tumbled stone. Prices for bumblebee and ocean jasper can sometimes go several hundred dollars per 5 – 10 cm sample.
Unique landscape patterns and animal and flower outlines greatly add to the jasper value. Sometimes, one-of-a-kind landscape jaspers are a matter of auction debate, and the price for a specimen reaches thousands of dollars.
TIP: Jasper rocks can be found in a lot of locations in the United States. Check out the best locations and common areas where to find Jasper in the article below:
4 Best Locations for Finding Jasper Rocks Near Me (USA)