Josh Lanik found a diamond in the rough while on vacation with his family in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, on July 24.
The Nebraska-based teacher had been looting through Crater of Diamonds State Park’s 37.5-acre search area when he stumbled upon a brandy hued gem.
He knew right away it wasn’t just a rock.
“It was blatantly obvious there was something different about it,” he said in a statement issued by the park on Monday. “I saw the shine, and when I picked it up and rolled it in my hand, I noticed there weren’t any sharp edges.”
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They continued on their hunt, adding their new find to a bag of treasures they’d picked up during their visit. They stopped by the Diamond Discovery Center on their way out.
Lo and behold, the 36-year-old had on his hands a whopping 2.12-carat diamond, the largest of the gems to be found in the park this year.
The park shared a photo of the raw jewel sitting beside a 2003 quarter to show off its hefty size.
The park’s “finders keepers” policy ensures that any visitors who find valuable gems are allowed to keep them.
When asked if Lanik would sell his finding — dubbed the Lanik Family Diamond — he said he plans to keep it for now, WGN9 reports.
According to park spokesperson Waymon Cox, a heavy rainfall could explain how a diamond of such a size was unearthed.
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“About 14 inches of rain fell at the park on July 16,” he said. “In the days after the rainfall, park staff registered numerous diamonds found right on the surface of the search area, including two weighing over one carat.”
Nothing could rain on the Lanik family’s parade that day, that’s for certain.
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meaghan.wray@globalnews.ca
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