Black Hills Gold - Panning (for kids) & Shopping for Jewelry

A note, Landstroms factory outlet store at 620 st. Joseph st. in Rapid City SD is the place to start to understand its pricing, and the place to go to have worn jewelry restored.
Look for the L 10k hallmark.
I have not seen or know of any fakes of BH tri color gold, all are genuine 10k gold. The difference is in the polish and design. Others than Landstroms just look cheap and overpolished to us.
The suggestion to visit the Homestake Mine/ Sanford underground physics laboratory visitor center in Lead ( pronounced Leed after a vein of ore) is a good one, it is the worldwide premier place in the search for sub atomic and dark matter particles as well as the the largest, oldest mine in the western hemisphere.

old guy wrote:
can't remember the name of the gem farm in arkansas but they let you dig and keep what you find

Crater of Diamonds State Park. Also a neat water park there, perfect for cooling off after a hot day of digging.

There is a lot of cheap, "knock-off" BH Gold jewelry so be careful. Landstroms was the first manufacturer and still the best IMO.

Uppercrust wrote:
We enjoyed the gold mine in Lead, very nice tour and you can pan for gold there also.

X 2 We did that tour years ago, way cool! Our daughter and her friend "ate it up"!!

Well worth the money and the time.

Dan

We enjoyed the gold mine in Lead, very nice tour and you can pan for gold there also.

can't remember the name of the gem farm in arkansas but they let you dig and keep what you find

As stated above take the 8 year old to Wades Gold Mine in Hill City. It is a fantastic experience. It does not cost much but is a great educational hands on experience. It starts with a short movie. He then shows you all of the mining equipment that he has collected. He fires up many of the pieces and shows how they work. You then pan for gold from the ore that he has processed. It is a great experience.

to start him off, take him to the town of Lead and take the gold mine tour.
as stated above, be careful of phony gold. I like the Pawn shop idea.

Wall SD has plenty of shops that sell Black Hills Gold Jewelry, also there is a decent Campground within walking distance to tourist stuff including Wall Drug. There used to be a panning place in Deadwood along with a simulated gold mine tour kids would like. Not sure what is still there haven't been back for a long time since they ruined the town with Casinos. Be careful of low prices on the jewelry there are some fakes that look like the real thing.

Wades gold mill near Hill City for panning, Rapid City pawn shops for jewelry. Look particularly for Lamdstroms tri color gold, even heavily worn, Landstroms factory will make it look new for you for free.
Dont miss visiting Presidential Pawn.