Prices checked September 25, 2026

How Much Is an Agate Worth?

Agate value: about $2–$16 per pound for most rough; rare types and top Lake Superior agates far more

Most agate is inexpensive: common rough sells for about $2–$16 a pound and tumbled agates for $16–$100 a pound. Value climbs with rare types, size, bold banding and a lack of cracks. At 2025–2026 Minnesota auctions, typical Lake Superior agates under a pound sold for about $16, pound-plus stones for around $55, and the best pieces for $925–$1,300. Dealers ask much more: $60–$180 for nice palm-size stones and up to $3,500 for exceptional big ones.

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Agate Prices by Type (2026)

Dealer asking prices, plus winning bids at Minnesota lapidary auctions where marked.

Common rough agateBrazilian nodules, moss, crazy lace and other tumbling roughTypical price: $2–$16 per pound
Tumbled agatesMoss and tree agate at the low end; blue lace at the topTypical price: $16–$100 per pound
Lake Superior agate, auctionWinning bids 2025–2026: stones under 1 lb (median $16), 1–2 lb (median $55)Typical price: $9–$26 typical; $55 for 1–2 lb
Lake Superior agate, dealersNice 4–6 oz stones; 'pounders' and exceptional large stonesTypical price: $60–$180; $300–$3,500
Montana moss agateRough by grade; tumbled; cabochons and polished specimensTypical price: $2.50–$12/lb rough; $21–$185 cut
Laguna agate (Mexico)Rough nodules; cut specimens and pairsTypical price: $60+/lb rough; $60–$800 cut
Fire agateCommercial cabochons vs top Arizona and Mexican gemsTypical price: $9–$18 per carat; up to about $260 per carat
Blue lace and Botswana agateRough per pound; single tumbled stones a few dollarsTypical price: $16–$35 per pound rough
Brazilian agate slicesNatural and dyed slices cost the same; decor slices on stands cost moreTypical price: About $5 each; $60–$280 decor

Private sellers usually get far less than dealer prices: at regional auctions, 4–8 oz Lake Superior agates had an $18 median against $60–$180 dealer asks. Top recent auction results were $925–$1,000 for 6-lb agates and $1,300 for a 31-lb 'hurricane' agate.

What Makes an Agate Worth More

The factors buyers and dealers actually price on.

Type and locality

Laguna, fire agate, top Lake Superior agates and blue lace sit at the high end; common Brazilian, moss and tree agates at the low end. Closed mines raise prices for what's left.

Banding

Sharp, colorful, full-face bands raise value most. Lake Superior agates with bold banding all the way around drew the highest bids.

Color

Red, orange and yellow come from iron. Multiple colors raise Laguna grades, the intensity of the 'fire' sets fire agate prices, and amethyst centers lift Lake Superior agates.

Cracks and completeness

Fractures cut value sharply: only about 15% of Montana agates found by experienced hunters are fracture-free with good color and pattern.

Size

Lake Superior agate auction medians rise from about $10 for stones under 2 oz to $55 at 1–2 lb and over $200 above 2 lb. As one well-known collector put it, anything larger than a baseball is considered big.

Cutting and polishing

At retail, tumbled agate sells for 2–3 times the rough price per pound. At auction, polished pieces didn't clearly beat rough ones unless polishing revealed great banding.

Natural or dyed

Dyed agate carries no collector premium: dyed and natural slices sell for the same price. Dyeing must be disclosed when you sell.

Is It an Agate? Quick Tests

Agate is translucent, banded chalcedony. These tests separate it from jasper, chert and look-alikes.

  1. 1

    Flashlight test

    Shine a flashlight or sunlight through a thin edge. Agate lets some light through; jasper, chert and flint don't. Thick stones can look opaque, so test the edges.

  2. 2

    Waxy luster

    Look at a chipped or broken spot. A glossy, waxy look is a good sign; chert and jasper look duller.

  3. 3

    Banding

    Wet the stone and look for concentric or parallel bands. Translucent with bands means agate; translucent without bands is plain chalcedony; banded but opaque is jasper or banded rock.

  4. 4

    Pitted husk

    Lake Superior agates often have a pitted, iron-stained outer skin, and their bands can peel away in layers.

  5. 5

    Scratch test

    At about Mohs 7, agate usually scratches ordinary glass. Jasper and chert do too, so this only rules out softer look-alikes.

  6. 6

    Dye check

    Under a loupe, dye pools in cracks, pits and along band edges, and an acetone swab on a hidden spot may pick up color. Neon colors are almost always dyed.

Common look-alikes

Jasper

Also chalcedony, but opaque, often solid red, yellow or brown. Stones mixing both are called jasp-agate.

Chert and flint

Opaque, muted colors and a dull luster on broken surfaces.

Jaspilite and banded sandstone

Banded but not translucent. Jaspilite is collectible, but it isn't agate.

Dyed agate

Unnaturally bright colors with dye in the cracks. Dyed agate can still be translucent, so light alone doesn't prove it's natural.

Imported look-alikes

Polished agates from elsewhere are sometimes sold near Lake Superior as local stones; locality matters to the price.

Slag glass

Glassy luster, gas bubbles and swirled color, but no true chalcedony bands.

Not sure what you have? Identify it free from a photo.

Collecting Rules to Know

  • Minnesota bans rock collecting in all state parks and state recreation areas; get permission on private land and in gravel pits.
  • Michigan limits collecting to 25 pounds a year on state land, including Great Lakes bottomlands. National lakeshores such as Pictured Rocks are off-limits.
  • In Montana you may hunt agates below the high-water mark of the Yellowstone River, but you need permission to cross private land to reach it.
  • On BLM land, collect personal-use amounts only (in Arizona, 25 lb a day and 250 lb a year). Selling what you collect there needs a permit.

How to Sell an Agate

  • Specialist agate dealers sell top stones at retail; private sellers usually get wholesale or consignment terms.
  • Regional lapidary auctions, such as the Beaver Bay, Minnesota sales, give real prices: most small Lake Superior agates close at $9–$26 and pounders at $40–$280.
  • Rock shows and festivals, like Moose Lake's Agate Days in July, bring collectors together.
  • State the locality and weight, disclose any dyeing, and stay within personal-use limits for stones from public land.
  • In the Ruby Glint app you can list agates in the marketplace and chat directly with buyers.
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Agate Value Questions

Get answers to common questions about rock identification, rockhounding, and using our platform.

Most rough agate sells for $2–$16 a pound and tumbled agates for about $16–$100 a pound. Value climbs with rare types such as Laguna and fire agate, large size, sharp colorful banding and no cracks.

At 2025–2026 Minnesota auctions, typical stones under a pound sold for about $16 and 1–2 lb stones for about $55. Dealers ask $60–$180 for nice 4–6 oz stones and $300–$3,500 for large, exceptional ones; the best recent auction results were $925–$1,300.

Shine a flashlight through a thin edge: agate is translucent. Look for a waxy luster on chips and for bands. Lake Superior agates often have a pitted, iron-stained husk.

Both are chalcedony, a microcrystalline quartz. Agate is translucent and usually banded; jasper is opaque. Chert and flint are opaque too, with a dull luster.

Watch for neon or unusually saturated colors and dye pooled in cracks and along bands; an acetone swab may pick up dye. Dyed agate can still be translucent.

At retail, often yes: tumbled agate sells for 2–3 times the rough price per pound. For resale, polishing mainly helps when it reveals exceptional banding.

It depends on the land: no collecting in Minnesota state parks or national parks and lakeshores, a 25-pound yearly limit on Michigan state land, allowed below the Yellowstone River's high-water mark in Montana, and personal-use amounts only on BLM land.