I’ve had this for years. There’s no Hallmark, what kind of metal? Any ideas.
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From AI:
“This appears to be a pyrite sun (also known as a pyrite dollar or sun dollar), which is a type of mineral concretion formed from radiating pyrite crystals. These are not shells or fossils, despite sometimes being mistaken for fossilized plants or sand dollars due to their organic-looking radial pattern. They typically form in shale layers associated with coal seams under high pressure, around 300-350 million years ago, and are most famously collected from sites like Sparta, Illinois. The turquoise stone looks like a later addition, possibly for decorative or jewelry purposes, as these specimens are often sold as collectibles.”
Looks like a nickel backplate was epoxied to the back to fashion this into a buckle. Zero value. The turquoise is actually very good, and looks like natural Kingman nugget.
No idea if there’s any value to this beyond the turquoise stone. Also, I would not attempt to remove the turquoise yourself, as it’s likely natural and should be handled and removed by an expert to avoid fracturing the stone.
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