Mineral: Ruby Gemstone Famous Gems
Color: Red
Country: Myanmar (Burma)
Year: 1991
This stamp shows the Nawata Ruby which was found in 1990. It weights 496.5 carats, and is a national treasure of the Union of Myanmar. The Nawata Ruby is also called the SLORC Ruby (State Law and Order Restoration Commitee).
This exceptional gem has an extraordinary story (or legend?) behind it:
The Nawata Ruby was found at Dattaw in the Mogok mining area of Burma. According to the book "Fire and Blood" by Diane Morgan and other accounts in newspapers, it was found by Than Htun, the owner of a brothel in Mandalay, who then smuggled the ruby to Thailand, and unsuccessfully tried to sell it for 2 billion dollars in Bangkok or Chiang Mai. One of the would-be Thai buyers tipped the military junta in Burma, who then sent agents to recover the stone and the miners, who were then executed or sentenced to life in prison.
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