Have you ever wondered if are there diamonds in West Virginia? Guess what, there are! And the most famous one is the Jones Diamond.

Back in 1928, 10-year-old Punch Jones was spending the afternoon playing horseshoes with his father Grover Cleveland Jones. When his horseshoe ended up in the water, it just happened to land right by a 34.48-carat diamond in the creek. Now, how’s that for a story? Read on if you’re curious to know more about the largest diamond found in West Virginia.

Wondering where the largest diamond found in West Virginia is today? So is everyone! For many years the Jones Diamond sat at the Smithsonian until a family member recovered it, and reportedly took it on tour at state fairs and such.
Google Maps
And then, in 1984, it was sold at an auction. No actual amount was published, but there are rumors an agent for someone in Asia purchased the Jones 34.48-carat diamond for a mere 64,000 dollars. Its whereabouts at this point are completely unknown. Hence, it would also be interesting to know how much the Jones diamond is worth today.
Punch must have popped down into the creek to retrieve the horseshoe and that's when he saw a shiny gemstone and picked it up. Before this, he was probably unsure about if there were diamonds in West Virginia.
Flickr/Ryan Hallock
Thinking it was a type of quartz at best, Punch hung onto the stone for several years. As the story goes, at one point it ended up in a drawer, and at another, it sat on the windowsill for quite a long time.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM

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Then, one of Punch's 18 brothers and sisters took a class in geology at nearby Virginia Tech. He learned about the so-called "scratch test" for diamonds... and then the Joneses' discovered they had been living with a 34.48-carat diamond in their possession for more than 10 years.
Wikipedia/Nick (NJR ZA)
Alluvial diamonds can be found in deposits like what is featured in this photo.
If you're wondering what an alluvial diamond is; it's simply a diamond that was eroded and carried naturally to its discovery point (by way of a glacier), as opposed to being found via traditional diamond mining. Hence, adding to the surprise of learning that there are diamonds such as the Punch Diamond are located in West Virginia.
Flickr/Adam Moss
It's also worth noting that the Punch family was in a vacant lot near their home in the tiny town of Monroe County. (Peterstown is still tiny and has a population of about 650.)
Wikipedia/Idawriter

Did you know there are diamonds in West Virginia? Want to pan for your rare find in the same spot where Punch Jones discovered the Jones Diamond in 1928? Use the map at the beginning of this piece to find your way to Peterstown and look for the bridge in the above photos to begin your search!

If you’d like to stay in Peterson and explore some more, take a look at this charming mill house vacation rental in West Virginia.

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Are There Diamonds In West Virginia?

Marla S. | April 04, 2023

How much is the Jones diamond worth today?

Nowadays, the exact amount of the Jones diamond's worth is unknown.

When the Jones Diamond was discovered, the value of the largest diamond found in West Virginia was unclear. However, in 1984, the Jones Diamond was sold at an auction house for $67,500. Based on the present-day economy, this value would equate to somewhere between $75,000 and $200,000.

What are some unique and fun facts about West Virginia's history? 

In addition to finding out if there are diamonds in West Virginia, here are some more unique and fun facts about West Virginia's history:

  • Around the early 1900s, West Virginia had a booming glass factory industry.
  • Wheeling, West Virginia was the capital from 1863 until 1870. In 1870, then Charleston became the capital. It should be noted that this was after another switch back to Wheeling.
  • Along with mining for coal, West Virginia was known for salt mining.
  • Rather than being called West Virginia, the name Kanawha was considered too.
  • In 1756, the first public spa in the United States opened in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.

 

If you're curious to know more, take a look at this post about unique and fun facts about West Virginia's history.

 

 

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