Gem, Rock, and Mineral Postage Stamps Featuring
Turquoise

Mineral Name:	Turquoise
Composition:	Hydrous copper aluminum hydroxyl phosphate
Nomenclature:	Named after the word "Turkish" in the mistaken belief that material obtained via trade routes through Turkey actually originated in Turkey.
Industrial Uses:	Jewelry; minor ore of copper.
Additional Notes:	A member of the Turquoise group of minerals. In older mineralogy texts, the name of this mineral was spelled turquois. This spelling persisted into the mid-1960s. Turquoise crystals are rare. For many years, the only known occurrence of turquoise crystals was the Bishop Mine, Lynch Station, Campbell County, Virginia, a site which is now flooded. In the last few decades of the 20th century, a small number of additional worldwide locations of turquoise crystals have been documented.


Turquoise United States Scott 3749 2 cents 20 August 2004	Turquoise United States Scott 3749A 2 cents 8 December 2005	Turquoise United States Scott 3749B 2 cents 8 December 2005

These stamps show a turquoise and silver "squash-blossom" Navajo necklace. Although the three stamps appear superficially identical, they have distinct differences. Click HERE for a discussion of the differences among the three stamp varieties.