Agate Hunting Made Easy: How to Really Find Lake Superior Agates

Find Lake Superior agates with confidence using Jim Magnuson's proven strategies.

You admire Lake Superior agates for their color and beauty--and you'd love to go home with a treasured discovery. But the truth is these stunning stones can be hard to find. Even along the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, you need the right system to succeed. Jim Magnuson is here to help! The experienced collector has spent decades perfecting the best methods for finding and identifying this storied gemstone, and he's sharing his time-tested techniques with you.

Make agate hunting easier and more rewarding. With full-color photographs and expert guidance, you'll learn what rough agates really look like in the field. Find out how to recognize agate imposters that can fool even seasoned agate hunters. Discover how to hunt in a variety of locations, from gravel pits to riverbeds and beyond. Use Jim's rating system to evaluate the quality of your finds and better understand their potential value.

Whether you are just getting started or are ready to level up your skills, Agate Hunting Made Easy gives you the confidence and insights to turn frustrating outings into successful--and fun--treasure hunts.

• What to look for? Learn to recognize agates' common features, appearance in the rough, and agate imposters.


• Where to look? Get expert advice on the best places to search and how to identify Lake Superior gravel.


• How to hunt? Follow Jim's tips for searching pits, streams, beaches, and more--plus how to use weather to your advantage.


• How to care for agates? Clean, display, buy, and sell with confidence using Jim's tried-and-true techniques.

Rockhounding is more than a hobby for Jim Magnuson; it's a serious and rewarding avocation that helps him connect with nature. He has been an avid hunter and student of various gems, minerals, and fossils since his childhood. Jim conducts in-depth and hands-on agate hunting and lapidary workshops. He is also a member of the Cuyuna Rock, Gem & Mineral Society and the Minnesota Mineral Club. He lives in central Minnesota.