No, this isn’t rose quartz from the Sterling Mine. It is ordinary rock crystal backed by, and including, small crystals of rhodonite. It is a very small specimen, but even so, it is of interest not only because of the remarkable appearance, but because, apart from its occurrence in the Buckwheat dolomite, quartz is actually a very rare mineral in the Sterling and Franklin mines. Moreover, the rhodonite crystals, while very small, are perfectly formed.

FOV in the first pair of photos, which show a quartz crystal including and penetrated by rhodonite, is 1.2 x 2.05 mm. The brightly lit rhodonite in the bottom right corner is 0.6 mm long.

The next pair of photos (FOV 2.3 x 3.5 mm) shows at least three more rhodonite crystals, the largest ca 0.7 mm long, along with more quartz. Most of the rhodonite crystals on the specimen are under the quartz.

The next pair of photos (FOV4.4 x 7.1 mm) is a broader view showing these, and other crystals.

Single item shipping weight (with MM case) is 2.8 oz (79 g). For shipments outside the USA, up to a total weight < 8 oz (225g), this can be combined with items from this or other auctions for the same postage. This could be sent in a padded envelope, but there is no savings in postage.

Within the USA, postage for total weights up to 13 oz ranges from $4.25 to $6.50 (including packing etc) regardless of destination. Above 13 oz, I will use “own box” Priority Mail. The rate, including packing, varies by destination from $7.25 to $9.50.