Hiker's incredible $10,000 find in park
A woman has made a find worth $10,000 while hiking with her husband.
Noreen Wredberg was hiking in Crater of Diamonds State Park in the US state of Arkansas with her husband Michael last Thursday.
They had been visiting a nearby national park but Ms Wredberg suggested they visit Crater of Diamonds after she saw it on TV.
About 40 minutes into their walk, just north of a central pathway, Ms Wredberg discovered why the park is referred to as “Crater of Diamonds” after finding something shimmering on the ground.
It turns out, she had found a 4.38 carat diamond.
“I didn’t know it was a diamond then, but it was clean and shiny, so I picked it up,” she said.
The couple took it to staff to confirm it was in fact a diamond.
“We really didn’t think we would find one, let alone something that big,” Ms Wredberg said.
The park’s Waymon Cox said recent rainfall may have loosened soil in the parkland.
“Diamonds are somewhat heavy for their size and lack static electricity, so dirt doesn’t stick to them. When rain uncovers a larger diamond and the sun comes out, its reflective surface is often easy to see,” he said.
It is not exactly clear how much the diamond is worth. After all, the park staff aren’t trained diamond appraisers.
However, given it’s a four carat diamond, it could be worth up to $10,000 or possibly even more depending on its quality.
According to The Diamond Pro, even the lowest quality four carat diamond can be worth more than $8000.
More than 33,000 diamonds have been found in the park by visitors since it became a state park in 1972.
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