[meteorite-list] "Antartic" meteorite for sale on Ebay

From: Treiman, Allan <Treiman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:44:43 2004
Message-ID: <D144DC845882D311959900500424D7D0B1BBCE_at_cassnt2>

Hello List.

   This is not necessarily a fraud. Meteorites have been found in Antarctica
by expedition doing other things -- biology, glaciers, geology. I think that

expeditions are told what to look out for, so they can contribute to the
ANSMET meteorite collections. But someone could have found a meteorite, did
not
turn it over to ANSMET, and is now trying to sell it.
   This is a sticky legal problem, as I understand, because no one is
allowed
to use materials collected in Antarctica except for educational or
scientific
purposes. If this rock is an Antarctic meteorite, and if it sells, the
seller is
in violation of the big Antarctic treaties. The U.S. enforces the treaty on
its
own citizens.
   Ralph Harvey of Case Western Reserve U. runs the ANSMET expeditions,
and what I've written here is what I remember from his telling. He's the one
who will know the law and treaties here.

   Allan Treiman

Allan H. Treiman
Lunar and Planetary Institute
3600 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, TX 77058-1113

281-486-2117
281-486-2162 FAX
treiman_at_lpi.usra.edu

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Gwilliam [SMTP:jkgdiver_at_primenet.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 4:43 PM
> To: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> Subject: [meteorite-list] "Antartic" meteorite for sale on Ebay
>
> Hello All,
> Here's everyone's chance to get your very own meteorite from Antarctica.
> I'm too busy laughing at this one to get angry yet.
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=574497494
>
> The description says:
>
> "THIS IS A LARGE IRON METEORITE, IT MEASURES 3 1/4" X 2 3/4". IT WEIGHS
> ABOUT 5-8
> POUNDS. A FREIND OF MINE, IS A SCIENTIST AND FOUND IT AT THE
> ANTARTIC. I ALSO
> HAVE A LARGER PIECE ABOUT 30-50LBS, AND I AM TAKING OFFERS. THANKS
> AND GOOD
> LUCK BIDDING ON THIS PIECE."
>
> Hopefully no one out in cyberland will take this seriously.
>
> Fraudbuster...............where are you;-)
>
> Best,
>
> John Gwilliam
> John Gwilliam Meteorites
> PO Box 26854
> Tempe AZ 85285
> http://www.meteoriteimpact.com
>
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Received on Wed 28 Mar 2001 05:59:02 PM PST