Have you found yourself in a position where someone has seen your collection of jasper and expressed interest in it? Or perhaps you have such an abundance of jasper sitting in your collection that you want to sell it and make space for more specimens.
Regardless of the reason, you’re here because you want to know how much jasper is worth. Does it hold any value at all? Lets take a quick look at the value of jasper is and answer some of those questions.
Is Jasper a Precious Stone?
Due to the abundance of beautiful Jasper around the world, it’s considered a semi-precious stone. But the variation of jasper is enough to make any collector excited. When diving into the world of rock collecting, jasper is a great stone to start with.
For the beginning jasper collector, there are often times a lot of questions. And one of the questions typically asked is how much is jasper worth?
How Much Is Jasper Worth?
There are many different types of jasper out there. Some are true jaspers and other are just trade names given to other stones that have a jasper like appearance to them.
The more common varieties of jasper are typically worth anywhere between $1.5 and $5 per carat.
However, there are many factors that go into determining what the actual value is of any give jasper specimen. Let’s take a look at some of those factors.
What Determines The Value Of Jasper
Rarity
As I mentioned earlier, jasper is quite common, which can cause the value of the stone to not be as high. The good news is, however that there is a variety of types of jasper, some of which are quite a bit rarer than others.
Color
Much of the value in any given piece of jasper is directly related to the saturation of its color. Typically, the richer and deeper the color of a specimen is the more value the piece holds.
Origin and Variety
Jasper’s physical appearance is determined by its geographical origin. As a result, jasper stones obtained from various mining locations exhibit varying colors and patterns. Because of their scarcity in nature, Madagascar jasper and Imperial jasper are more expensive. Australian jasper, African jasper, Egyptian jasper, and Indian jasper, on the other hand, are widely available and reasonably priced.
How It’s Fashioned
What’s great about jasper is that all varieties are easy to polish, are low maintenance, and are durable enough for most, if not all jewelry applications. Jasper stones are typically cabbed, occasionally cut, and seldom faceted. The beauty of the stones pattern and the artistry with which it is fashioned plays a role in determining the value of the stone.
Shape
Jasper is most commonly found in the form of oval-shaped cabochons (polished, non-faceted stones) that are reasonably priced. A banded jasper, on the other hand, has a slightly higher value because it requires extra care when cutting to avoid layer separation.
The Most Expensive Jasper
Just like most things, the more scarce something is, the more money it’s worth. The same holds true for the value of jasper.
Madagascar jasper and Imperial jasper are two varieties of jasper that are quite rare. Because of their scarcity and difficulty to find them in nature, these two types of jasper are typically the most expensive.
Where To Buy and Sell Jasper
As mentioned earlier, most types of jasper are readily available, making it quite easy to buy and sell. Artist shops, such as those on Etsy or other local handmade stores, are probably your best bet, as they offer a plethora of options and competitive pricing. Because the Jasper gemstone is not a high-priced stone, you don’t need to look for big-name vendors; instead, here are a few online vendors you can buy, sell or buy and sell jasper:
- Ebay
- Amazon
- Etsy
- Gempundit
- Fossilera
- Gem Rock Auctions
- Online rock and mineral club for collectors of all levels!
- Find community with like-minded rock and mineral enthusiasts.
- Monthly Giveaways!
- Free Access to Entire Digital Library of Products (current and future products)*
