Collectors have long found petrified wood to be beautiful. Its shades of blue, green, and orange coupled with a shiny luster give it the qualities of a semi-precious gem. Many craftsmen will utilize it in lapidary work. They can take petrified wood and convert it into paperweights, clock faces, jewelry, and even sculptures. The question of how much is petrified wood worth depends on many factors. Thanks to its scientific importance and beauty, it can be quite valuable, though this is not always true.
Quick response: No simple to calculate formula exists for ascertaining a piece of petrified wood’s value. The reason is that a number of different considerations come into play where the value of this commodity is concerned. The best way to find the value for a specific piece is to have it appraised by a petrified wood professional. Another organization that could provide an assessment is the International Gem Society.
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Several Factors Determine The Value of Petrified Wood Specimens
Little examples of petrified wood that are lower quality can have no practical value. A petrified log that is of great quality might easily fetch hundreds of dollars at a sale. Still bigger goods fashioned from a polished petrified wood (think tabletops here) sometimes sell for as much as thousands of dollars.
A few important characteristics will impact the amount that sellers are able to realize from their piece of petrified wood. These include the following:
Size matters – Generally the most crucial element in appraising a sample of petrified wood is the size of the piece. Usually, the bigger an example of petrified wood proves to be, the greater its value will be. Tiny pebble size specimens could be worth cents. Entire petrified wooden logs can command hundreds or up to thousands of dollars in certain scenarios.
Color counts – Petrified wood can showcase a range of interesting colors. Some are orange, blue, green, pink, and red shades. Those examples showing exceptionally bright or atypical color patterns have a higher value than mere brown colored petrified wood. Pieces of petrified wood that are opalized can fetch significantly higher amounts for their extreme rarity. Another characteristic that adds to the value of the petrified wood are outstanding features like easy to see bark patterns or growth rings (which form as trees get older).
Quality impacts – Petrified wood typically suffers from its brittle nature. Over time, the quality of the piece will usually decay as oxygen exposure works its ill effects. Examples of petrified wood that showcase damage like holes or cracks do not have much value.
Polish adds – Polished petrified wood will always have a greater value. The easiest, most effective means of adding to the petrified wood value is to polish it with either a rotary polisher or a rock tumbler.
Geography counts – Sometimes petrified wood turns up in unusual locations where it is not commonly found. This adds to the value. Ultimately, it may also gain sentimental value (and so command a higher price) to a person if it is found somewhere that the buyer cherishes or has special memories.
In Conclusion: How Much is Petrified Wood Worth?
Petrified woods can be worth anywhere from a few pennies to even thousands of dollars. A larger sized piece of petrified wood in brilliant colors will command substantially higher values. There is no set formula to value petrified wood, but other factors that affect its value include quality, polish, and the geography where it is found.