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Re: Odd meteorite on Ebay-Earlier post

Hello list,
Sorry for the late reply to this thread, but I was away to a funeral for
a family member.

dean bessey wrote:
> Not too long ago there was a big fiasco about a dealer overseas in >the UK 
selling some Mars material and Peekskill material.   He was >trashed beyond 
belief on this list.

The reason this company/person was "trashed" was not for the material
they were selling.  They were "trashed" for bidding on their own items.
Then, they would cancel their bids to see what the maximum bid of the
current high bidder was, and reinstate their bid to $1 under that
maximum bid squeezing every penny from their bidders.  Very sneaky! 
They were caught and suspended from eBay.

This is the reason the meteorite posse was formed, because several
"dealers/members" didn't want to hear about eBay auctions as they felt
it was unrelated to this list or their hobby/business.  "I hate eBay!"
"I don't use eBay" was heard. Therefore, we started our own list, in
which we have 14 members. Many invitations were extended to list members
to join us in the past. I assume this narrow-sighted stance is now
forgotten?

> Dear Mike, Bob, George, Will and Bill and List;
> Who needs the Meteorite Sheriff when we have the "Good Will Militia".
> Dictionary notes that they drill once in a while and come out in
> emergencies...how fitting.
> What a grand adventure, Thank You!
> Humble rocker,
> Dave Freeman  109.13' w  41.35'n (somewheres west)

No one needs the posse or myself if eBay is no longer a "4-letter" word
here on the list.  I'm glad to see some involvement in the area at
last.  The posse has done some good behind the scenes, and was not
readily visible if you weren't a member.    Actually, we are concerned
with meteorite fraud in general...not just eBay.  However, the biggest
portion of our problem, was unfortunately, with eBay.  There was even a
customer who stated that the two meteorites he purchased from two very
reputable dealers on this list, were tested at a lab and fake!  He was
proved wrong.

Now about the auction for the basalt being called a meteorite.  This
person clearly stated in his description, "be it a rock, or a meteorite,
let the bidding begin".  He admits right there, it may not be a
meteorite.  A member of the posse had already been in contact with the
seller.  Also, the high bidder (who was sniped near the end of the
auction), has an "About ME" page with eBay.  On this page, he declares
himself an avid meteorite collector who is very serious about his
hobby.  He even goes on to say he owns a 30 lb. Gibeon specimen.  I
would certainly think that he should know better and must be willing to
take a chance on this auction.

Now that eBay discussion is now allowed in this forum, I would suggest
going after the seller of the Ureilite (sp?) Hippo.  This seller doesn't
say "may be a meteorite" or "possibly is"....he says "it is." 
I have my doubts.

It's been REAL and it's been FUN...but not REAL FUN.
Ex-Acting Sheriff (or at least in neutral for now),
Dave

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