What's That Rock?Pyrite
Also called: fool's gold
Iron sulfide with a brassy yellow, metallic look, known as fool's gold. It often forms cubes.
How to identify Pyrite
- Hard and brittle: gold is soft and bends
- Streak on unglazed porcelain is dark greenish-black; gold's streak is yellow
- Cubes with fine parallel lines on the faces
Often confused with
- Goldsoft, malleable, much heavier
- Chalcopyritesofter, more golden, greenish-black streak
- Marcasite
Real or fake?
- Real gold dents and slices with a knife; pyrite shatters or scratches
- Pyrite gives off sparks when struck against steel
Is Pyrite valuable?
Inexpensive.
Typical retail prices
Rough$8–30per pound
Collector specimen$8–150each
Typical retail ranges in US dollars, compiled from public dealer and marketplace listings in October 2026. Real prices vary widely with quality, size and origin. This is general information, not an appraisal.
What changes the price
- Crystal form: sharp, perfect cubes, pyritohedrons and clusters are the collector forms (Spanish Navajún cubes are famous)
- Size and condition: undamaged display pieces cost more, because pyrite can break down in humid air
- Brightness: bright metallic luster costs more than dull or tarnished stone
- It is not gold: pyrite is cheap, and many 'fool's gold' pieces are only a few dollars
Uses
- Specimens, jewelry
- Historic source of sulfur and fire-starting
Care
Can slowly break down in damp air (pyrite decay). Keep in a dry place.
Identifying a stone from a description or a photo is an estimate. Many stones look alike. Ask an expert or a gem lab before you buy, sell or rely on an identification.
Updated October 2026