Photo byBeeghly & Co.

In the quiet town of Peterstown, West Virginia, an extraordinary gemological discovery was made in April of 1928. While pitching horseshoes near Rich Creek, William “Punch” Jones and his father, Grover C. Jones Sr., unearthed what would become known as North America's largest alluvial diamond. This 34.46-carat silvery octahedron remains one of the most mysterious finds in gemological history. How such an enormous diamond came to rest in the sandy soil of a southern West Virginia town is still a puzzle, as diamonds are not native to the area.

The Discovery of the Punch Jones Diamond

At first, the shiny stone the Joneses found seemed like nothing more than clear quartz, which is common in the region. Eleven-year-old Punch, the oldest of 17 children, was intrigued by its sparkle and decided to keep it, storing it in a wooden cigar box in the family's tool shed. For 14 years, the diamond sat in the shed, unnoticed, until Punch’s renewed interest in 1942 led him to take it to Virginia Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Tech). There, geology professor Roy J. Holden confirmed that the stone wasn’t quartz—it was a bluish-white alluvial diamond.

Holden surmised that the diamond had been carried by river or stream from a distant source, possibly as far away as Virginia, North Carolina, or Tennessee, given its worn edges. This led to the prevailing theory that the diamond was transported down the New River, ultimately ending up in the Joneses’ yard.

Theories Behind the Mystery

How did the diamond find its way to West Virginia? Dr. Holden’s theory of river transport from distant geological formations is one possibility, but over the years, other experts have suggested more far-fetched ideas. Some believe that the diamond could have been carried by a migratory bird, perhaps from as far as Brazil, and dropped over the Jones property. Others speculate that earlier settlers or Native Americans could have brought the stone to the region.

A Hidden Gem

After its identification, the Punch Jones Diamond gained national attention. The Jones family lent the gem to the Smithsonian, where it was displayed at the Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, from 1944 to 1964. The diamond made its way back to West Virginia after that, appearing at the West Virginia State Fair before being locked up in a safety deposit box.

In 1984, the Jones family decided to sell the diamond at a Sotheby’s auction. The final selling price was $74,250, which is equivalent to about $213,000 today. It was purchased by an agent on behalf of a lawyer from an undisclosed Asian country, and since then, the Punch Jones Diamond has not been seen by the public.

A Lasting Legacy

Despite the diamond’s disappearance, its legacy lives on. A historical marker in Peterstown commemorates the find, offering a glimpse into a remarkable moment in West Virginia’s history. Located at the corner of Sycamore and Market Streets along U.S. Route 219, the marker tells the story of one of the most intriguing diamond discoveries in North America.

While the Jones Diamond may have vanished from public view, its legend continues to sparkle in the annals of gemological history—forever a reminder that sometimes, the rarest treasures can turn up in the most unexpected places.