The Jones Diamond, the largest alluvial diamond in North America, was found in West Virginia

West Virginia contains its fair share of gems, but did you know that it was where the largest alluvial diamond in North America was found? It’s called the Jones Diamond, a blue-white gem weighing 34.46 carats, or 34.48 depending on the source, and measuring 5/8 inch in diameter. What’s most fascinating is that its discovery is still a mystery to this day.
The Jones Diamond, also called the Jones “Punch” Diamond or Horseshoe Diamond, was discovered in April 1928 in Rich Creek, near Peterstown. Grover Jones and the eldest son of his 17 children, William Pinkney “Punch” Jones, were pitching horseshoes when they noticed a peculiar stone in the horseshoe pit. What they did not know was that the stone they found was actually the largest known alluvial diamond in North America, with an estimated value of over $100,000.
What still confuses many scholars and geologists is just how a diamond like that ended up in the pit, especially since American diamonds are exceptionally rare.
The Jones Diamond, the largest alluvial diamond in North America, was found in West Virginia