Good news ... Finally we have some new Besednice Hedgehog Moldavites!
*** Update 10 August 2009 ***
If you have read any of this website you will know that the Besednice hedgehog is the epitome of Moldavites - the star of this very illustrious group. They are almost impossible to get because the mine has been closed for years. A trickle of these precious girls reaches me from private collections, often after weeks or more of negotiating with the owners.
I am very pleased to say I finally managed to get my hands on a mere 60 grams - yes I know it's not much but it's like winning the lottery! I promised myself I could keep just one as a reward for being so clever, the rest are available to you and you can view them in the shop.
Moldavite shortage gets worse!
*** Update 26 July 2009 ***
My friend Edvard and I have been talking about how quickly the Moldavite situation has gone from 'hard to get' to 'impossible to get'. Edvard has some contacts that can normally supply Moldavite but at a much higher price (which is why he prefers not to deal with them unless he's desperate - like now). Even these friends have very little stock available and what they do have is poor quality at ridiculous prices.
All of the locals are out hunting for new places because it's been a traditional boost to their incomes. Those that have needed the extra money the most have already sold their 'keepers'. We are hopeful that sooner or later a new area will be found but after many centuries of collecting from the traditional fields it really does seem as if these areas have been completely cleaned out.
Moldavite is unlike other minerals where there is the possibility that other mines will be established in other places or even other countries - the Czech Republic has been the only reliable source of Moldavite for hundreds of years. I base my prices on what the replacement cost will be and those are definitely sky rocketing. The larger pieces I have for sale are mainly from private collections and when they are sold there is a very real possibility that this size may never be replaced unless I sell some of my private collection (and that's not likely !! ) It's almost certain that anyone buying now (or already owning a piece) will have, within a few years, something that is totally unique because there simply is no more to be had - we will all sit back smug in the knowledge that we have something that is amongst the rarest and most special of crystals on the planet. I am quite certain that in a few years I will look back at the prices I have sold Moldavite for and think to myself "If I'd held on for another couple of years I'd have doubled, tripled, or quadrupled my money".
If you have a hankering to buy a piece, I wouldn't wait much longer!
*** Update 20 June 2009 ***
I'm starting to feel extremely fortunate to have my collection of Moldavite. Why? Because it's suddenly dried up - all of my sources are having trouble finding Moldavite for me. There is the odd piece trickling through, in fact I managed to purchase some outstanding pieces recently - possibly the last of someone's collection because they are the best pieces I have secured so far. I did have to make an offer they 'couldn't refuse' so we'll be short on groceries again this month :-) but it's worth it!
Edvard sent a few photos of his last trip into the fields check out the Gallery to understand why it's so hard to find and why the prices are going up all the time.
*** Update 26 May 2009 ***
My friend Edvard has been out searching all of his favourite spots for Moldavite. He tells me in previous years he would have had over a kilo of smaller pieces and several over 20 grams, a few of them being 'prize' pieces. This year he has gathered a mere 150 grams. It is quite depressing walking so far for so little return. There are more people looking then ever before and everyone is finding less. The police are enforcing the law that you can only dig to a metre, even if you own the land. Fortunately Edvard is on good terms with many farmers who allow him to go and look in the fields but many farmers are no longer so friendly as people have been digging deep holes in the middle of the night. It's akin to a smash and grab - except it's a shovel and grab. I'm told people are quite ingenious about it and travel with pumps to pull the water out of the holes as they dig by torchlight.
He was saying he might have to give up his favourite beer if it gets any worse - hopefully he's kidding (he likes a beer apparently) or maybe it's his way of warning me that the price is increasing again.
My other contacts are collectors who are selling off their collections now that the prices have increased - stocks are slowly dwindling from this supply as well. It won't be long before I have to take a shovel and go there myself!
*** Update 21 May 2009 ***
The situation is the worst it's been in living memory. People who used to collect Moldavites from fields with permission of the farmers, a national hobby by all accounts, have found recently that they are no longer able to do this and there are police and farmers watching these popular collecting spots and areas are being fenced off. The supply continues to dwindle and the price continues to go up. I am finding that I am being offered smaller and smaller Moldavites as these are the only ones available. I have been trying to find some Besednice Hedgehogs - but even with a "Money is no object" attitude - they are simply not available (but I'm working on it). Give it a few years and you won't be able to buy Moldavites of any size or shape - it simply will not be available. When you consider how rare it is and its special features - then you think about the price, it's not really that expensive! Imagine being abe to buy a 9 gram diamond for $90 ! Moldavite is rarer than diamonds. I've always thought Moldavite to be the bargain of the century!
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They've been talking about an imminent Moldavite shortage for years. The reality is finally hitting. The Moldavite mines are mostly closed - completely tapped out. The Czech Republic locals who have been supplementing their income for decades are having trouble finding Moldavite and they selling of the last of their collections - including the last of the Besednice Hedgehogs. Prices at recent shows such as the Tucson gem show have sky rocketed. You could call it a crisis.
Moldavite for Me would be one of the very few places where you, whether you are a collector or into alternative healing, can buy quality, undamaged Moldavite over 20 grams and they are getting much harder to come by. I recently added a large Moldavite from my private collection to the online shop but had to remove it because when I inquired about a replacement there were none available and I was warned that I might be lucky to get one in 6 months. If one had been available the cost had increased so much that I was selling my one at a substantial loss !!! I've returned it to the collection until I decide if I really want to part with it. I certainly recommend that you do not hesitate or you may find that the affordable this week is the unaffordable next month.
When it comes to investing nothing is guaranteed - as many of us have found out recently. However, the chances of finding a huge new Moldavite strew field which will satisfy world demand long term is slim - everyone has been looking since the caveman (should that be cave person?) used Moldavite for adornment. If you are looking for an investment then your chances are extremely good that the value will keep increasing every year. Prices have risen about 30-40% in the last year alone. This is not a gemstone where one or 2 companies in the world hold a monopoly and control the price. This is not like gold where the banks and governments could flood the market at any time making your investment plummet. Moldavite is not like the share market, if the President says the wrong thing the price won't crash. This stone or crystal, call it what you like, answers to no one.
What I especially like about Moldavite as an investment is that it's small so I can keep it at home to enjoy, it's not a flashy rock that a burglar will grab instantly, I use them in my healing work and they have a beneficial effect on my own health. It's my multipurpose investment.