expat

In the mountains at the weekend and stopped at a village to stretch the legs and partake of a beverage. We came across someone who was selling stuff that he had created. We often come across weavers who use local reeds to make baskets and hats etc. This guy was carving rocks that he finds in the river valley. We left him a business card with the offer to display and sell his stuff in our shop which sells only artesania from many countries. We took with us 4 turtles of different color rock for our personal collection of figures. They are about 3in long, 2in wide and 2in high. The first image looks more like a fat seal as the head broke apparently and had to be redone, shortening it in the process

Those are lovely and I think you are correct in that already being in possession from before the laws were changed is OK. Just can't sell them on.

@Paddy54nice objets d'art my friend.

Beautiful engraving on this reverse and a stylish obverse

I dug this up from the garden in our mountain home. If someone could narrow down its type I would be grateful. It is 13 in wide, 6 in high and 7 in deep. It weighs just under 10 pounds

Fantastic. First time I have seen one, thanks for sharing

Beauty applies to many in my collection. I am always on the lookout for standard circulating coinage with interesting designs.

The two above look like water snails. Nice finds. We live 100 yards from the beach and walk it every day. We really look forward to the morning after a combination of high tide and a storm. We have found many great pieces that way. Here are two entire specimens, a sea urchin and a seahorse.

Seeing the Nautilus above, this takes pride of place in our shell collection. It was found and we were granted permission for it to be retained by us. I have placed a silver dollar against it so you can judge its size.

Paddy, that is a great Nautilus. Generally unchanged for about 500 million years. The word nautilus is derived from the Greek word ναυτίλος nautílos "sailor", it originally referred to a type of octopus of the genus Argonauta also known as 'paper nautilus', which were thought to use two of their arms as sails

Lovely frog. We have some carved tortoises very similar. I cant find them so assume they are at our mountain home. Going there next week so will have a look.

They are great Paddy. We have about 200 animal figures carved from Jade, Turquoise, Soapstone and other minerals on display in our shop.

The spear shaped "guard" of the Belemnite a squidlike creature. They became extinct during Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, 66 million years ago. Belemnitella was declared the State fossil of Delaware on 2nd July 1996. I have 1 au natural and 2 still encased in rock.

A real beauty. Agate is just great to look at

Agate is something that fits well on this site. Ornamentally, it was used for the seal stones of Ancient Greek warriors and is part of Minoan history. Before that, to the 3rd Millennium BCE, polished agate was used as jewellery in the Indus Valley Civilisation.

An impressive display

What a wonderful image, thanks for sharing that one

One of the most popular items sold in our shop are amonites. Some of them I drill and insert a silver ring. People wear them or attach to their keyrings

Yeah! Join in the fun

These are fossilised sea urchins (echinoidea). Here in Spain they are called Herizos de mar, or, hedgehogs of the sea as urchin is an old world name for hedgehog, taken from old French herichun and Latin ericius both meaning hedgehog.

They are stunning, like the cameo on a proof coin.

Very nice examples everyone, the trilobites and amonite are great. A few more, geodes, desert roses and crystal

Some nice pieces there. Where you used to live, Nijar, there is an old dormant volcano that is constantly disgorging garnets. After a rain the ground is covered with them. We collect them in there hundreds and have a deal with a jewellery manufacturer in Germany who purchases those that can be faceted and polished,

Aside from coins, my Wife and I collect these. Some are found in the wild and others are gifts from clients. I will start with a mixture and please post whatever you think relevant.

Agreed, it screamed at me the moment I saw it