Best American Turquoise Mines: A Collector's Reference
The 10 American turquoise deposits collectors and serious buyers know by name, ranked by historical significance, distinctive material, and current collectibility.
American turquoise has been mined for centuries, but only a relatively small number of deposits produce material that gets traded by mine name in the collector market. This is a reference to those deposits. For each, the geography, the signature color and matrix, current production status, and what to expect when shopping.
For broader buying guidance, see our Turquoise Buying Guide and About Our Mines hub. To distinguish turquoise from substitutes, see Stones Commonly Mistaken for Turquoise.
1. Bisbee, Arizona Closed
Bisbee is arguably the most legendary American turquoise. The material came out of a copper mining operation as a byproduct, and the mining ended when the copper played out. What remains in the market is collector inventory and material held in private collections. Prices reflect that scarcity. A genuine Bisbee piece from a reputable seller carries a meaningful premium.
Read more about Bisbee turquoise.
2. Lander Blue, Nevada Exhausted
Lander Blue is considered by many collectors to be the rarest and finest American turquoise ever mined. The deposit was small. The total production was modest. By the time the market figured out what Lander Blue was, the supply was already gone. Authenticated pieces command extraordinary prices and the market is small enough that fakes are common. Verification through known provenance chains matters here more than almost anywhere else.
3. Number 8, Nevada Largely tapped out
Number 8 is one of the most recognizable American turquoises in the collector market. The signature spiderweb pattern with golden-brown matrix over deep blue is distinctive enough that experienced collectors can identify Number 8 from across a room. Production is now very limited and existing inventory increasingly commands collector pricing.
Read more about Number 8 turquoise.
4. Sleeping Beauty, Arizona Closed 2012
Sleeping Beauty is the reference standard for pure blue turquoise. The mine closed in 2012 and the market has been adjusting to a finite remaining supply ever since. Prices for genuine Sleeping Beauty have risen meaningfully in the years since the closure. The clean, matrix-free look that Sleeping Beauty defined is now harder to find without paying a premium.
Read more about Sleeping Beauty turquoise.
5. Kingman, Arizona Active
Kingman is the workhorse of American turquoise. The mine has been producing in volume for decades and remains active, which keeps mid-grade material accessible to artisans. Higher-grade varieties like Kingman Red Web (red matrix lines through blue stone) are collected separately and command premium pricing. Kingman is the entry point for many serious turquoise collectors because authentic material is available at reasonable prices.
Read more about Kingman turquoise.
6. Royston, Nevada Active
Royston is the favorite of collectors who prize dramatic matrix patterns and color variation. The deposit produces stones that range from deep teal to clear blue with rich golden-brown matrix that often reads as miniature landscapes. The visual character of Royston is distinctive enough that experienced buyers can identify it on sight.
Read more about Royston turquoise.
7. Carico Lake, Nevada Limited production
Carico Lake is one of the few American turquoise deposits known specifically for green material. The spring-green to blue-green palette sets it apart from the blue-dominant aesthetic of most American turquoise. High-grade Carico Lake with the rare iridescent quality is highly sought after by collectors who want stones that look different from the rest of their collection.
Read more about Carico Lake turquoise.
8. King's Manassa, Colorado Active
King's Manassa is one of the oldest commercially worked American turquoise mines. Production today is small and the material that comes out is distinctive: green-leaning turquoise with warm rust and brown matrix that looks like compressed landscape. Wildflower works a claim on this deposit and Greg cuts the cabochons in our shop.
Read about King's Manassa or our broader owned-mine sourcing approach.
9. Cerrillos, New Mexico Limited production
Cerrillos has been worked for turquoise for over a thousand years. The Pueblo cultures of the Southwest mined Cerrillos turquoise long before European contact, and the deposit has continued through Spanish colonization and into the modern era. Modern production is small and the material is more often valued for its historical significance than for its visual character relative to flashier mines.
Read more about Cerrillos turquoise.
10. Pilot Mountain, Nevada Collector-grade only
Pilot Mountain is a serious collector's mine. The deposit produces clean blue turquoise with distinctive iron matrix patterns that hold up against any of the more famous deposits. The supply is small enough that the material rarely shows up in everyday jewelry — when it does appear, it commands premium pricing.
Read more about Pilot Mountain turquoise.
Honorable mentions
Blue Gem (Lander County, Nevada): historic deposit known for hard stones and tight matrix.
Fox (Lander County, Nevada): classic American greens, in steady production since the 1940s.
Turquoise Mountain (Cochise County, Arizona): hard, vivid color, dense webbing, gem-grade in small quantities.
Crow Springs (Crow Springs district, Nevada): hard, set-friendly classic Nevada blue.
Mines outside America worth knowing
Several international deposits produce turquoise that competes with the best American material:
Hubei (China): 4,000+ years of production, gem-grade material that rivals top American mines.
Persian (Iran): historically the most prized turquoise in the world. The reference for medium-blue Persian Blue color.
Golden Hills (Kazakhstan): rare lavender-blue color unlike anything American.
Campitos (Mexico): vivid blue that rivals Sleeping Beauty.
Sonoran/Nacozari (Mexico): classic Southwestern color from northern Mexico.
How to collect responsibly
If you are starting a turquoise collection, the same principles apply whether you are spending $200 or $5,000 per piece. Buy from sellers who can name the mine and treatment, who credit the lapidary and silversmith, and who stand behind authenticity. Closed-mine material is increasingly valuable but increasingly difficult to verify. A piece from a reputable seller with documented provenance is worth more than a cheaper piece from a source you cannot verify.
For practical buying guidance see our Turquoise Buying Guide and How to Tell if Turquoise Is Real.
