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Re: Fw: Meteorite "worth"



>
>
><<  an old toy model can always be
> reproduced!  >>
>
>Huh?  Why are antiques enormously more expensive than exact replicas?
>
>Gregory
>

I can tell you this about reproductions.  In the relm of numismatics,
gold coins in particular, they are called "restrikes."  That is the
issuing government decides for whatever reason to use the original
dies and strike several hundred thousand or more.  So what does this 
do the original issue?  In some cases the originals were worth many,
many times their face value (intrinsic value of spot gold). Afterwards,
the originals fell to the value of all the rest of the restrikes.

This was the case with the beautiful Mexican 50 peso gold centinario--
among the most beautiful gold coins ever struck.  They were issued
from 1921-1931.  Then there was a pause in production, then they were
produced again from 1943 to 1947, after which no more were produced.

Then, because the private possesion of gold was outlawed by FDR in
1934, but the US government had a loophole in the law that allowed
certain kinds of gold coins to be held (the 50 peso centinario one of 
them) the Mexican government decided to reproduce the 1947 coin, and
maybe some other years, too.

Result-- the "collector" value of all the centinario pieces fell, but
they fell to no less than their *intrinsic* value, which is the
production cost of the gold itself.

That is how some governments edged into the collector market of rare
gold coins.  And that is how in some cases the "collector" market was
hurt.

The governments cannot "reproduce" meteorites, but they can control
their trade-- just as they have controlled the trade of other rare
items, such as exotic birds, reptiles, ancient artifacts-- I could 
go on and on with the list.  And if you think it cannont happen, then
look to the north in Canada, or to the south in Australia where 
the trade of meteorites are controlled by their governments.  And if
you think that such cannot happen here in the good old US of A-- think
again.  Look at the Old Woman Meteorite case, and the Antiquities Act
(and its recent ammemdments) and you will get a feel for the direction
our hobby might be heading.

Maybe I am completely wrong in my assement of the situation.  Maybe I
am too alarmist, you say.  But I can tell you this-- I worked for the
Federal Government; Deparment of the Interior; National Park Service
for 10 years.  I have seen things, and that capacity I have had questions
leveled at me concerning my meteorite hunting activities.  There are
legislation types in our government that are taking a hard look at our
"hobby", and they have yet to cast their vote-- which I might say at this
time has much, much more power than ours.


(BTW-- I will trade meteorites for gold at it's intrinsic
spot value anyday.  But you know what?-- I have had few takers ;->
Guess meteorites are not as "good as gold" yet.)

Steve Schoner
American Meteorite Survey


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