These are tiny unrefined flat gold nuggets with 14K gold posts attached. We found a lovely husband and wife team near Anchorage, Alaska, who mined them just for us! They still pan for gold using the same non-invasive sluice-and-dredge methods developed in the Yukon Gold rush after 1849. The miners say that these gold nuggets were exposed by natural erosion processes and washed into Forty Mile River, where they were picked up just the way you see them - they have not been altered from their natural shape.

In nature, gold never occurs in pure form, but is mixed with silver, copper and other metals. Refined gold is 999/1000 or 24K pure. These Alaska gold nuggets run about 875/1000 pure or 22K-23K pure. All differ slightly in shape, but the nuggets are about 3/8" in diameter. They are paired to look relatively similar in shape, size, and thickness. Earring backs are gold-filled.