Official State Gemstone and Gems

State Gemstone and State Gem of the Fifty-States

State Gemstone and State Gem of the Fifty-States

Gemstones are so fascinating! Gems colors, properties, myths, and legends are diverse and fascinating. Folklore about stones has been revered and honored for centuries in all cultures.

What Is A Gemstone? A mineral or rock, after it has been cut and polished, and that is pretty and hard enough to be worn as jewelry, is called a gemstone. Only 70 of more than 3,800 known mineral s are considered gemstones. About 20 of these 70 gems are commonly found. All gemstones have one thing in common - beauty. Beauty, however, is a rather intangible thing. The perception of beauty varies from person to person, and from culture to culture. Beauty in a mineral may mean color, luster , transparency, or brilliancy resulting from skillful cutting and polishing.

Much of the gemstone history comes from archeological discoveries, and ancient writings. They are often found in burial sites where they were meant to protect and accompany their owner into the next life

Soft, opaque stones were the first gemstone beads. By 2,500 B.C. carnelian, lapis lazuli, and rock crystal were in use.

Colorful gemstones were first found on the earth's surface. There is evidence of gemstone mining of lapis lazuli in Afghanistan as early as 5,000 BC. In 3,000 BC, There was mining of turquoise in the Sinai peninsula and of emeralds in Egypt. Amber was traded in the areas around the Baltic Sea. In North and South America turquoise was mined.

Find profiles of each of the US states that have official State Gemstone or Gems. Access state minerals, rocks, stones, and other symbols.



Official State Gemstone or Gems

State Symbols

Gemstone & Gem - Designation - Adopted

Alabama Star Blue Quartz
Alabama State Gemstone - 1990
Alaska Jade
Alaska State Gemstone - 1968
Arizona Turquoise
Arizona State Gemstone - 1974
Arkansas Diamond
Arkansas State Gemstone - 1967
California Benitoite
California State Gemstone - 1985
Colorado Aquamarine
Colorado State Gemstone - Apr 30, 1971
Connecticut NA
Delaware NA
Washington, DC NA
Florida Moonstone
Florida State Gemstone - May 20, 1970
Georgia Quartz
Georgia State Gemstone - 1976
Hawaii Black coral
Hawaii State Gemstone - Apr 22, 1987
Idaho Star Garnet
Idaho State Stone or Gemstone - Feb 25, 1967
Illinois NA
Indiana NA
Iowa NA
Kansas NA
Kentucky Fresh-Water Pearl
Kentucky State Gemstone - Jul 15, 1986
Louisiana Cabochon cut gemstone (Crassostrea virginica mollusk)
Louisiana Cabochon Cut Gemstone
- 2011
Maine NA
Maryland Patuxent River Stone Agate
Maryland State Gem
- 2004
Massachusetts Rhodonite (Mn++,Fe++,Mg,Ca)SiO3 )
Massachusetts State Gemstone - 1979
Michigan Chlorastrolite (aka Isle Royale greenstone)
Michigan State Gemstone - Mar 30, 1973
Minnesota Lake Superior agate
Minnesota State Gemstone - 1969
Mississippi NA
Missouri NA
Montana Agate (SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide)
Montana State Gemstone - 1969
Montana Yogo Sapphire (Al2O3)
Montana State Gemstone - 1969
Nebraska Blue Agate (Blue chalcedony)
(SiO
2 - Silicon Dioxide)

Nebraska State Gemstone - Mar 1, 1967
Nevada Precious: Virgin Valley black fire opal
Nevada State Precious Gemstone - May 27, 1987
Nevada Semiprecious: Nevada turquoise
Nevada State Semi-precious Gemstone - May 27, 1987
New Hampshire Smoky quartz
New Hampshire State Gemstone - 1985
New Jersey NA
New Mexico Turquoise
New Mexico State Gemstone - Mar 23, 1967
New York Garnet
New York State Gemstone - 1969
North Carolina Emerald
North Carolina State Precious Stone - 1973
North Dakota NA
Ohio Flint
Ohio State Gemstone - 1965
Oklahoma NA
Oregon Thunderegg
Oregon State Rock - 1965
Oregon Sunstone (Plagioclase Feldspar)
Oregon State Gemstone - Aug 4, 1987
Pennsylvania NA
Rhode Island NA
South Carolina Amethyst (SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide)
South Carolina State Gemstone - Jun 24, 1969
South Dakota Fairburn agate
South Dakota State Gemstone - Feb 11, 1966
Tennessee Freshwater Pearl
Tennessee State Gemstone - 1979
Texas Texas blue topaz
Texas State Gemstone - Mar 26, 1969
Utah Topaz
Utah State Gemstone - Feb 4, 1969
Vermont Grossular garnet
Vermont State Gemstone - 1991
Virginia NA
Washington Petrified wood
Washington State Gemstone - Mar 12, 1975
West Virginia Silicified Mississippian fossil coral Lithostrotionella (chalcedony)
West Virginia State Gemstone - Mar 10, 1990
Wisconsin NA
Wyoming Jade (Nephrite)
Wyoming State Gemstone - 1967
State Rocks,
Minerals, & Gems
US State Gemstone or Gems

Gemstone, Minerals, Rocks