Man Finds “Big, Ugly” 3.29-Carat Diamond At Arkansas State Park

A seasoned diamond hunter recently discovered a 3.29-carat brown diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas.

David Anderson, a Murfreesboro resident and frequent visitor to the Arkansas park, was wet-sifting soil from the 37.5-acre search area’s West Drain on March 4 when he found the rare gem.  

“At first I thought it was quartz but wondered why it was so shiny,” Anderson recalled in a news release. “Once I picked it up, I realized it was a diamond!”

It is the largest diamond found at the park this year and the largest since September 2021.

“Mr. Anderson’s diamond is about the size of an English pea, with a light brown color and octahedron shape,” park interpreter Tayler Markham said in a statement. “It has a metallic shine typical of all diamonds found at the park, with a partially resorbed surface and lots of inclusions.”

Like many of those who find large Crater diamonds, Anderson chose to name his gem. The moniker he picked for the brown diamond? B.U.D. 

“That’s for Big, Ugly Diamond,” he explained, noting the diamond’s pitted surface and mottled brown color.  

Anderson has been frequenting Crater of Diamonds State Park since 2007. He has found more than 400 diamonds over the past 16 years, including 15 weighing over one carat. His other top discoveries include a 3.83-carat yellow diamond found in December 2011 and a 6.19-carat white gem unearthed in April 2014.

Anderson typically sells his diamonds locally and said he also intends to sell this one too.