Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 1

Tennessee Grandfather Finds 2.29-Carat Yellow Diamond at Arkansas Park, 3rd-Largest There in 2026

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 1

Tennessee Grandfather Finds 2.29-Carat Yellow Diamond at Arkansas Park, 3rd-Largest There in 2026

Q: What is the true monetary value of the rare 2.29-carat yellow diamond this grandfather casually slipped into his shirt pocket?

The diamond’s true monetary value is not yet known. Based on the reporting, Crater of Diamonds State Park verified only that Barry G. Smith found a natural 2.29-carat yellow diamond; park staff do not grade or appraise stones, and no independent gemological report has been released. That matters because price depends on factors the public does not have: whether the stone would qualify as a fancy yellow, fancy intense yellow or a lighter grade; its clarity; cut potential; shape; and whether the color is evenly distributed. In yellow diamonds, color intensity is often the biggest driver of value. A vivid, well-cut natural yellow diamond can be worth far more than a lightly tinted stone of the same weight. A rough 2.29-carat diamond also does not sell like a polished 2.29-carat diamond. If cut, it would likely lose weight, and its final market price would depend on the finished gem’s certified grading, usually from GIA or another recognized lab. Without that, any dollar figure would be speculation. What can be said is that the stone is likely valuable because it is natural, over 2 carats, and yellow diamonds are the rarest color regularly found at the Arkansas park. But “valuable” could mean anything from a few thousand dollars to significantly more if a certified gemologist finds it has strong fancy-yellow color and good clarity. Until an appraisal and lab grading are done, no reliable true value can be attached.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 1

Barry G. Smith of Germantown, Tennessee, found a 2.29-carat yellow diamond on Aug. 16 at Crater of Diamonds State Park while searching with his two granddaughters.
About 30 minutes into the outing, Smith spotted a glimmering stone in the park's East Drain section, mistook it for mica, and tucked it into his shirt pocket until staff confirmed it at the Diamond Discovery Center.
Park officials said the gem—about the size of a black-eyed pea—is the third-largest diamond registered there this year, and supervisor Ralph Hall said its shape and color recalled another notable yellow diamond found earlier in 2026.
Yellow diamonds are the rarest variety found at the park, where guests have registered 351 diamonds this year and typically uncover one to two a day; Smith named his find the Sage Juniper Diamond after his granddaughters.