A California woman didn’t leave Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park empty handed.
Noreen Wredberg was walking though the park with her husband Michael on Sept. 23 when they stumbled on a “sparkling gem on top of the ground,” according to a press release from Arkansas State Parks. That gem just so happened to be a 4.38-carat yellow diamond, something they discovered when they took it back home to be identified.
“I didn’t know it was a diamond then, but it was clean and shiny, so I picked it up,” Noreen said. “We really didn’t think we would find one, let alone something that big!”
The diamond is the largest found at the spot since a 4.49-carat canary yellow diamond was discovered in October 2020. The couple only intended to visit Arkansas’ Hot Springs National Park, but decided to hit the Crater of Diamonds State Park on a whim. Luckily, it payed off. 258 diamonds have been found at the location by visitors of the site in 2021.
“Arkansas is the only state in the country that has a diamond mine open to the public,” Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Stacy Hurst said in a statement. “It’s such a unique experience and visitors make lifetime memories, whether or not they find a diamond. Of course, finding a diamond adds to the experience!”
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