[meteorite-list] Meteorite Values

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:08:20 2004
Message-ID: <002301c25291$987168e0$91fc0f3f_at_bigcolle>

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Hello List,=20

I recently recived a good question from one of our list members. If was =
a private e-mail to me so I won't paste the name or e-mail but I am =
posting it because I think it may interest other listees. =20

I was asked..

Hello Mark, How does a collector know how to price meteorites? Is there =
a price list?=20
Thanks, CENSOR

You didn't ask a very easy question but here we go. Meteorites like all =
items have a value. That value is what anyone will give you for it. =
This like most things very depending on several factors. Some =
controllable and others not. For a collector, I think one really needs =
to decide the direction of one's collection. Perhaps you wold like all =
the Texas meteorites, or a nice specimen of every type, ect. If a =
person is new I would suggest they try to aquire a nice iron slice, a =
stony-iron, a carbonaceous along with a big moroccan or otherwise bargin =
priced meteorite, NWA869 is a good example. Having a nice big stone I =
believe helps in one's interest into meteorites. This is kind of off =
track of your question and I will now try to answer that...

The main factors that will decide how much you are charged for a =
meteorite is, 1. Classification, (As a real general rule, the common =
classification find meteorite outside of Africa are $2-3 a gram in =
slicess, while African are around $1.00.) 2. Find or Fall (falls are =
worth more then finds), Irons are retailing around $1.00 a gram for the =
common ones in etched slices. 3. Size, You can usualy buy a 3 kilo stone =
much cheaper then you could a 20 gram of the same type. Larger more =
expensive stones are harder to sell and I often find them to be good =
bargins. 4. Appearence, a meteorite with a hole is worth more then one =
without, a meteorite that has nice crust is worth then a weathered one, =
ect. While there are several different factors here, all collectors =
seem to agree on what a nice looking stone is. 5. Total weight on the =
market, the Total known weight is a factor but it is more the total =
weight that is on the market. It doesn't really matter if there is a =
lot of the stone, if only 100 grams is available to collectors. 5. =
Documention/Source of meteorite. I am grouping both of these together. =
A meteorite with a nice label from a Museum or someone like Nininger is =
worth more then one without. I know I would like all my meteorites to =
have labels from the Smithsonian and others would to. In the same sense =
a meteorite sold from one dealer that is well liked and good in the =
community will often sell higher then from one that has not. The reason =
here is simple. The good dealer will have a strong customer base, with =
more people feeling safer spending their money. 6. Prepration, A slice =
is worth more then a wedge, Irons seem to be taking the road that a =
slice is worth more then an individual. For stones this verys more. A =
small stone will often cost the same or less depending, then a slice of =
it. If a dealer can cut up a kilo. size meteorite, he or she could make =
a lot of small partslices. Where buying a lot of baby individual of the =
same meteorite might be much harder if not impossible. 7. Micromounts. =
These small part slices and fragments are often priced higher and should =
be. Here you are in as much paying for the selllers time as well as the =
meteorite. 8. How many dealers have the meteorite. If several people =
are selling it. They have to compete for sales to a degree and the =
price is generally a little lower.=20

So to answer your question.....it depends. I like to go with a basic of =
$1-3 a grams for commons and then vary it from there depending on what I =
am wanting and the factors listed above. I am more in likely going to =
buy a Kansas Stone over a Nebraska stone. I would pay more for a stone =
I did not have, then one I have. On rare types it's really hard to =
decide what is fair and what is not. Going back to my earlier comment on =
deciding the direction of your collection helps buffer a purchase that =
later finds that stone dropping in price. If I buy a small partslice of =
a rare Kansas stone and it drops in price, thats good. Now I can get a =
big slice. =20

As a side note, Mike Martinez has been working on a complete listing of =
what meteorites have been priced and sold this last couple years. At =
shows, on the internet, and in auctions. Perhaps one day he will share =
his information in a book or like document.

Since I have sent this to the list I am hiding behind my firewall =
now...:-) =20

Thanks, Mark Bosick

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hello List, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I recently recived a good question from =
one of our=20
list members. If was a private e-mail to me so I won't paste the name or =
e-mail=20
but I am posting it because I think it may interest other listees.&nbsp; =

</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I was asked..</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Hello Mark, How does a collector know how to price meteorites? Is =
there a=20
price list? <BR>Thanks, CENSOR</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>You didn't ask a very easy question but =
here we=20
go.&nbsp; Meteorites like all items have a value.&nbsp; That value is =
what=20
anyone will give you for it.&nbsp; This like most things very depending =
on=20
several factors.&nbsp; Some controllable and others not.&nbsp; For a =
collector,=20
I think one really needs to decide the direction of one's =
collection.&nbsp;=20
Perhaps you wold like all the Texas meteorites, or a nice specimen of =
every=20
type, ect.&nbsp; If a person is new I would suggest they try to aquire a =
nice=20
iron slice, a stony-iron, a carbonaceous along with a big moroccan or =
otherwise=20
bargin priced meteorite, NWA869 is a good example.&nbsp; Having a nice =
big stone=20
I believe helps in one's interest into meteorites.&nbsp; This is kind of =
off=20
track of your question and I will now try to answer that...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV>The main factors that will decide how much you are charged for a =
meteorite=20
is, 1. Classification, (As a real general rule, the common =
classification find=20
meteorite outside of Africa are $2-3 a gram in slicess, while African =
are around=20
$1.00.) 2. Find or Fall (falls are worth more then finds), Irons are =
retailing=20
around $1.00 a gram for the common ones in etched slices. 3. Size, You =
can=20
usualy buy a 3 kilo stone much cheaper then you could a 20 gram of the =
same=20
type. Larger more expensive stones are harder to sell and I often find =
them to=20
be good bargins.&nbsp; 4. Appearence, a meteorite with a hole is worth =
more then=20
one without, a meteorite that has nice crust is worth then a weathered =
one,=20
ect.&nbsp; While there are several different factors here, all =
collectors seem=20
to agree on what a nice looking stone is. 5. Total weight on the market, =
the=20
Total known weight is a factor but it is more the total weight that is =
on the=20
market.&nbsp; It doesn't really matter if there is a lot of the stone, =
if only=20
100 grams is available to collectors.&nbsp; 5.&nbsp; Documention/Source =
of=20
meteorite.&nbsp; I am grouping both of these together.&nbsp; A meteorite =
with a=20
nice label from a Museum or someone like Nininger is worth more then one =

without.&nbsp; I know I would like all my meteorites to have labels from =
the=20
Smithsonian and others would to.&nbsp; In the same sense a meteorite =
sold from=20
one dealer that is well liked and good in the community will often sell =
higher=20
then from one that has not.&nbsp; The reason here is simple.&nbsp; The =
good=20
dealer will have a strong customer base, with more people feeling safer =
spending=20
their money.&nbsp; 6. Prepration, A slice is worth more then a wedge, =
Irons seem=20
to be taking the road that a slice is worth more then an =
individual.&nbsp; For=20
stones this verys more.&nbsp; A small stone will often cost the same or =
less=20
depending, then a slice of it.&nbsp; If a dealer can cut up a kilo. size =

meteorite, he or she could make a lot of small partslices.&nbsp; Where =
buying a=20
lot of baby individual of the same meteorite might be much harder if not =

impossible.&nbsp; 7. Micromounts.&nbsp; These small part slices and =
fragments=20
are often priced higher and should be.&nbsp; Here you are in as much =
paying for=20
the selllers time as well as the meteorite.&nbsp; 8. How many dealers =
have the=20
meteorite.&nbsp; If several people are selling it.&nbsp; They have to =
compete=20
for sales to a degree and the price is generally a little lower. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>So to answer your question.....it depends.&nbsp; I like to go with =
a basic=20
of $1-3 a grams for commons and then vary it from there depending on =
what I am=20
wanting and the factors listed above.&nbsp; I am more in likely going to =
buy a=20
Kansas Stone over a Nebraska stone.&nbsp; I would pay more for a stone I =
did not=20
have, then one I have.&nbsp; On rare types it's really hard to decide =
what is=20
fair and what is not. Going back to my earlier comment on deciding the =
direction=20
of your collection helps buffer a purchase that later finds that stone =
dropping=20
in price. If I buy a small partslice of a rare Kansas stone and it drops =
in=20
price, thats good.&nbsp; Now I can get a big slice.&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>As a side note, Mike Martinez has been working on a complete =
listing of=20
what meteorites have been priced and sold this last couple years.&nbsp; =
At=20
shows, on the internet, and in auctions. Perhaps one day he will share =
his=20
information in a book or like document.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Since I have sent this to the list I am hiding behind my firewall=20
now...:-)&nbsp; <BR></DIV>
<DIV>Thanks, Mark Bosick</DIV></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Mon 02 Sep 2002 11:01:08 AM PDT


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