Huge Opal Sells for Nearly $144,000 at Alaska Auction

This photo provided by Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals shows an opal specimen in Ala., on Dec. 20, 2021. Dana Fuentes/Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals via AP

JUNEAU, Alaska—A gemstone, billed as one of the largest gem-quality opals in existence, was sold for $143,750 at auction in Alaska on Sunday.

The opal, dubbed the “Americus Australis,” weighs more than 11,800 carats, according to the auction house Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals. It also has a long history.