HIDDENITE, N.C. — A married couple from Hiddenite, NC found a 50.5 carat emerald on a dig Friday morning. They say the estimated value of the gem is $10,000.
Libby and Kevin Barrieault went on a dig at the private North American Emerald Mine (NAEM) along with about 200 other members of a local “gem club.”
It’s the first time in 30 years owner Jamie Hill allowed anyone other than an employee to use the site for a dig.
About five minutes after arriving, Kevin made the discovery.
"I was getting stuff out of the bucket and he flipped a rock over and it was there," said Libby. “It was one of those, ‘Oh, wow!’ moments that you will never forget."
The Barrieaults informed their group leader and then called Jamie Hill down to the area where they found the emerald.
"It's absolutely gorgeous. It's about an inch long. Probably about as big around -- a little smaller than a dime,” said Libby.
The couple was able to keep their discovery quiet for about 20 minutes, before the other members of the dig found out about it.
"Everybody was like, 'Can we see it?'" said Libby.
After that, they took photos and did documentation.
The rules of the dig site are that stone-hunters can keep anything under $10,000. The property owner gets anything over $10,000.
Since emerald is estimated right at the $10,000 mark, the Barrieaults get to keep it.
"I guess, if we get the right price, we'd sell it," Libby said, but, for now, she’ll have a nice piece of jewelry to show off.
“I’ll probably put a piece of wire on it and wear it around my neck,” Libby said.
The Barrieaults moved to Hiddenite from their Florida home about four years ago.
Libby facets jewelry for people in the area – a hobby she started in 2008, after she sold her car to buy the machines she needed.
WSOC
