Alaska auction to feature massive opal locked away for years

By BECKY BOHRER
Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — An opal that is bigger than a brick is up for sale this weekend in Alaska. Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals says the stone dubbed the “Americus Australis” is one of the largest gem-quality opals. The auction is Sunday. Fred von Brandt of Big Lake, Alaska, says the stone has been in his family since the late 1950s, when his grandfather bought it from an Australian opal dealer. Von Brandt says the opal was in his father’s care for decades. He says his father decided the stone has been “locked up long enough” and that it’s “time to put it back out in the world.” The auction is Sunday.