Man Finds 6.19-Carat Diamond at Arkansas Crater of Diamonds State Park

By Erika Winters

6.19-carat 'Limitless Diamond' found at Arkansas state park
This 6.19-carat rough diamond was found last week at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas.

Last week, a 6.19-carat rough diamond–described as about the size of a jelly bean–was found at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. The diamond was found by Arkansas resident David Anderson, who moved to Murfreesboro so he could regularly search for diamonds at the park. (Now that’s dedication!)

Anderson learned about the park after seeing the site featured on The Travel Channel’s “Best Places to Find Cash and Treasures.” And after searching the park’s 37.5-acre plowed field for about 4 hours last week, he found the 15th largest diamond discovered at the site since 1972. It’s also the largest of Anderson’s finds–he’s found hundreds of diamonds at the park since his first visit in 2007.

Anderson named the gem the “Limitless Diamond” after the motto for the charity Speed of Light. He plans to sell the diamond and donate the proceeds to the organization.

“The Limitless Diamond is about the size of a jelly bean, and it’s the 15th-largest diamond found at Crater of Diamonds State Park since 1972. It is also the largest white diamond we have registered in three years since the 8.66-carat Illusion Diamond was discovered in April 2011 by Beth Gilbertson of Salida, Colorado,” said park interpreter Waymon Cox. “This diamond is definitely a beauty. It looks almost entirely clear and appears to be an unbroken crystal.”

Spring is an ideal time to visit the park, as seasonal rain washes away surface soil to reveal diamonds and other gems and minerals.

“It’s no surprise that a large diamond was found this week. Over four inches of rain fell on the park last weekend, and David found his diamond on the first sunny day following the rain,” said Cox.

The Crater of Diamonds State Park consists of a 37.5-acre field that is plowed regularly to bring diamonds to the surface. The park is the only diamond-producing site in the world that is open to the public.

The park’s “finders keepers” policy draws visitors all year round, and approximately two diamonds are found every day. Recent finds include a 2.89-carat brown diamond found last March. Check out the latest recorded finds here.

6.19-carat 'Limitless Diamond' found at Arkansas state park