Minnesota couple finds 1.9-carat diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park

MURFREESBORO, Ark. — A Minnesota couple on an 11-state road trip turned up a little something special while passing through Arkansas.

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Arkansas State Parks confirmed Wednesday that Jessica and Seth Erickson found a 1.9-carat diamond while digging at Crater of Diamonds State Park on Friday.

According to KATV, the Chesterfield couple learned about the tourist attraction nine years ago and purposefully planned a stop during their 10-anniversary trip.

The couple spent the entire morning digging for potential treasure, with Seth Erickson finally spotting a metallic-looking gem in the bottom of his screen after an hour of wet sifting, KLRT-TV reported.

The Ericksons then carried their iced-tea-colored stone to the park’s discovery center, where staff confirmed their find as a nearly 2-carat brown diamond, the TV station reported.

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According to the parks department, Crater of Diamonds averages one or two diamonds found each day across its 37-acre footprint, the eroded surface of a volcanic crater. The Ericksons’ find brings the year-to-date total to 581 unearthed diamonds.

The couple named their registered gem HIMO, combining the initials of each of their children, KLRT reported.

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