How to Collect Fairburn Agates

Determine the parameters of your collection. Do you want to acquire the agates by purchasing them or would you prefer to find them yourself? Will you allow all sized agates into your collection or accept even the smallest Fairburn? Are you collecting for pleasure or do you hope to make money for your efforts?

Familiarize yourself with the collecting laws in South Dakota and Nebraska. It is illegal to collect anything from state or national parks (Custer is nearby) and you must obtain permission to collect from privately owned land.

Consider the weather. The Black Hills region, near Fairburn, has different weather patterns than the rest of the state due to the landscape. The area is prone to flooding, even in winter, and also receives significant snowfall. The best conditions for Fairburn hunting are right after a big melt, so that the water washes away all of the top layers of sediment, exposing agates. Fairburn agates are often found on the banks of streams.

Browse the Internet, especially eBay, to locate Fairburn specimens. Prices vary by quality. Factors that contribute to quality include size (bigger is better), brightness of color (black and orange most desirable), number of bands (more is more valuable), shape of the holly pattern and whether or not it is an artifact. The Indian tribes of the region, like the Lakota, often used stones, including agates, as flintknapping or hunting tools. Finding a Fairburn that was used as an artifact doubles the value of the specimen.