Every once in a while when looking for agates on the beaches of South Ayrshire, south Arran, Mull of Kintyre and parts of Northern Ireland you occasionally come across pieces of agatised fossil coral.

The source of this material is uncertain and as no specimens have been found in situ in any rock exposures on the land the source presumably must be somewhere on the seabed in the lower reaches of the Firth of Clyde. The coral that has been so beautifully preserved in red, clear and white agate is thought to be the Lower Carboniferous [Upper Visean - Lower Namurian] coral Lithostrotion.

The origin and formation of this beautiful material is unknown but could it be contemporaneous with the agates to be found nearby at Dunure on the south Ayrshire coast?

In all I know of only 5 specimens that have been found in the last 10-20 years. All have been found on the beaches of Turnberry, Maidens or Dunure and all have been found as loose blocks within the beach shingle. Nowhere, as far as I am aware, is any found in the rock. Below are two other images of specimens found on these beaches by two other agate collectors.

I would like to hear from any other collector who has found this unusual and beautiful material.