[meteorite-list] Dissapointed collector

From: nctools <nctools_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:43:29 2004
Message-ID: <000701c107d9$79e47ec0$74ce28c3_at_a>

Hello
I wonder if I could take a few moments of everyones time to get something
off my chest.Im a very new collector and only started collecting around six
months ago and am still quite green about much to do with meteorites.Ive
read as much as i can and am very greatful to some sellers in America and
here in Britain who have taken me under their wing and guided me in the
right direction and sometimes even declined a sale if they thought I was
choosing poorly.But I think I have made a few major errors with some other
meteorites Ive bought from elsewhere in a rush of blood.I got all wrapped up
in the excitement of buying quantity instead of quality.

I started buying some of the ordinary chondrite meteorites on sale from the
deserts and from Morrocco because these were very cheap and looked like a
good bargain but some weeks ago I found out that they are all not all
recognised.I tried to find them in the new catalogue of meteorites and
meteor bulletins but they werent listed.Since then Ive found out that they
WONT be listed unless I cut a bit off and send it to a scientist for
classification.Even worse is that the only person who has decided these
really ARE meteorites is the person who sold it to me!Im quite worried now
and dont see how this can be fair play.

Being new i assumed that these would be like all the other wonderful
meteorites on the Matt Morgan,Mike Farmer,Robert Elliot,Robert
Haag,Meteorite Market and many other great websites and be parts of
meteorites that the scientists have studied and have in their museums.That
is very important to me.The unknown desert meteorites are very cheap and
probably are meteorites but I wanted and expected confirmation of that not
just stuff that someone only thinks is a meteorite.How can I seriously
collect meteorites when something is only PROBABLY a meteorite and no more
than that??I know that its a case of you get what you pay for though I feel
misled and that ive been taken advantage of as a new collector without much
experience.Ive been following the discussions on the meteorite list and now
realise that noone even knows for sure where these are from and might even
be from a totally different country!Whats going on here??? Isnt there any
regulation to this kind of dubious trading?

I know they are cheap and give lots of weight for the money but thats
missing the point of building a respectable meteorite collection of any
future interest isnt it?I think some desert meteorite sellers should make it
quite clear in their sales pitch that meteorites like these are DIFFERENT
from the others and NOT officially recognised as meteorites and noone fully
knows where they are from.More importantly they should also say that noone
has actually officially confirmed they are REAL meteorites so new
collectors dont get misled like I was.Plus if I hadnt actually seen any
officially recognised meteorites before buying any of these unknown desert
meteorites I would have been duped into thinking that ALL meteorites were
just like these old rusted chunks of stone.Why would I think otherwise as a
novice?

I know the mistake was entirely my own making for being so gullible and
trusting but what do others think about this?I dont mean to appear hostile
just dissappointed to find out the truth behind these unknown
meteorites.Please dont tell me that its acceptable behaviour as they give
value for money because thats completely missing the point of everything ive
written above.


Regards
Paul
Received on Sun 08 Jul 2001 02:11:55 PM PDT