From Daily Art Magazine:
Though more gold than emerald, the crown of the Andes is a notable example of emerald artifacts because of its fascinating origins — the crown came into existence as a result of a community offering. When smallpox plagued the Americas around the year 1590, a small community of people in Popyán, Colombia were persuaded by their local priest to stay and pray to the Virgin Mother for protection. The people of Popyán were spared from the plague and the grateful community donated the gold and the emeralds to create this beautiful crown to honor the Virgin Mary. The largest emerald in the crown weighs 45 carats and the crown was last estimated at $2.5 million. It is now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Read more.)
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