Alan

Almost all buyers will find cold rolls and imbedded debris as making the piece less desirable. Consequently it will negatively impact the value.

A "pin prick" is a chip.... just a nice word to describe a very tiny chip and not use the "C" word". A surfaced bubble - like a chip - decreases the marble's condition, and therefore value.

It sounds like a cold roll. Pic?

Photo of the marble?

Size? Condition? Colors? Photo?

Yes - they have been dug at at least one Marble King site.

http://marbleconnection.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=16347

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/world-priciest-marbles-160110204.html

Take a well-focused photo in groups of ~15-20 and post them here.

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I would skip the book and go to a marble show. Trying to learn marble identification from a book usually ends up with the vast majority of marbles misidentified. The reason is that a book cannot hope to show more than about 30% of a marble's surface pattern - and cannot begin to illustrate the variances in pattern, color etc. over that types production life. IMO it would take a huge series of books chock full of expensive color plates to attempt to break this paradigm. Beginning collectors/people trying to self-appraise tend to match by color - and the result is usually wobbly with a tendency to misidentify to a high-value variety. The diversity of marble varieties and manufacturers is a challenge for novices to appreciate - its huge. There is no substitute for holding a marble in hand and turning it in good light to appreciate the nuances that affect identification. Once the ID is accurately made - then grading comes in and has a large effect on value. Grading is also something that IMO cannot be learned from a book. If you are trying to identify a group of marbles - you can bring them to a show or post clear, well-focused photos here for accurate feedback.

The photos aren't good enough to read and the piece itself is of fairly unremarkable design that doesn't point to any maker I know.

Like a 30-second bull ride!

I think that is a function of your browser - not the forum.... unless the forum isn't setting a persistent cookie.

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A couple more of mine: ..

I have a fair group. The Tie Dyes are the only ones I have a pic of at the moment.

Killer!

Years ago - "as made" became a weak-kneed, weasel-word excuse by some trying to sell a marble with a flaw.... as if it made the flaw somehow more acceptable.

They look like they are from a game ..... like mancala. Sort of that sea glass texture - probably from tumbling.