Pounamu, New Zealand Greenstone

Pounamu refers to several types of hard durable and highly valued nephrite jade, bowenite, or serpentinite stone found in southern New Zealand. Pounamu is a Maori name. The stones are generically known as greenstone. We combed the beach near Hokitika looking for this stone, and low-and-behold we found a couple of small greenstones. Personally, I don't think there is much value in the stone, but there is value in the craftmanship designing and carving jewelry that is made out of the pounamu.