[meteorite-list] NPA 11-1996 Meteorite for Sale, Martian, Haag, B. Reed

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:18:02 2004
Message-ID: <BAY4-DAV140VbNDN4Cx000053e4_at_hotmail.com>

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Paper: Chronicle Telegram
City: Elyria, Ohio
Date: Friday, November 11, 1996
Page: A (8?)

Meteorites for sale! You got $2 million?

NEW YORK (AP) - Even in New York, these rocks are pricey chunks of real e=
state. But then, what's a brownstone on Park Avenue when you can own a pi=
ece of Mars?
When three small Martian meteorites go on the auction block here Nov. 20,=
 the man greasing the skids boasts they'll sell for $1.5 million, $2 mill=
ion maybe more.
"These will probably go down in history as the three most precious pieces=
 of stone that were sold by main," the mysterious figure who owns them to=
ld The Associated Press in a phone call. Neither he nor Guernsey's auctio=
n house, which is arranging the sale, will reveal his identity.
Guernsey's bills the rocks as the world's only private collection contain=
ing all three types of Martian meteorites known to exist in the world, an=
d most pieces of them are held by museums, governments and research insti=
tutions. But private enthusiasts also have a hand in what's always been o=
ne of the most bizarre collectors' markets around.
The market for meteorites was already picking up this summer when NASA sc=
ientists announced they found signs of life in Allan Hills 84001, a chunk=
 of Martian rock discovered in Antarctica 12 years ago.
Since then, prices have gone sky-high. Every millionaire on Earth seems t=
o want a little piece of the red planet, and meteorite collectors and dea=
lers have watched with mixed glass and terror as their arcane little hobb=
y became a serious precious commodity.
"This whole market has been in such a tizzy - you can ask almost any pric=
e you want," says Blaine Reed, a meteorite dealer based in Durango, Colo.=
 "It's a little scary."
Arian Ettinger isn't frightened. The president of Guernsey's, who has sol=
d Cuban cigars, Elvis Presley's clothing and antique carousel ponies, is =
pushing his wares as it they were the Hope diamond, crown jewels and Jack=
ie O's engagement ring rolled into one.
"Anything else would pale next to it," Ettinger says.
Which is why he's decided to present the three meteorites as the sole lot=
 in the auction.
The $20 catalog, which must be purchased to gain admission puts the meteo=
rites' value at $1.5 million to $2 million, which is high by anybody's st=
andards. Reed guessed the pound of rock is worth something in the neighbo=
rhood of $680,000, and other experts say only that they aren't worth anyw=
here near $1 million.
But that doesn't mean somebody won't pay that much - or more.
"We've seen nothing but the value of the Mars meteorites go up, all the w=
ay back to Mars." meteorite dealer Robert Haag of Tucson, Ariz., said gid=
dily when he heard of the impending auction.
Haag doesn't think the auction is such a big deal, however, because, for =
one thing, the three rocks don't really represent the full range of Marti=
an meteorites. Most geologists put the dozen known meteorites in four or =
five different classes, not the three delineated when such meteorites fi=
rst were discovered.
Collectors can't get their hands on the additional types, though, because=
 the U.S. and Japanese governments own all the Martian meteorites that fa=
ll in those classes and can't legally sell them.
"Basically, all of us are shy of a full set," Reed says.
Guernsey's isn't the first house to offer meteorites at auction. That dis=
tinction belongs to Phillips, which plans to offer four more Martian spec=
imens Dec. 14.
And, technically, the three rocks being offered by Guernsey's don't const=
itute the only privately held collection containing the three types, as t=
he auction house claims. Reed says he has tiny gains of all three types i=
n his collection.
Never mind that, though. The most provocative thing about the meteorites =
on the block in Ettinger's claim that one of the could contain signs of l=
ife.
"The composition is almost identical, so there is every reason to believe=
 that what might exist or what does exist in the Allan Hills meteorite is=
 present in this specimen," he says.
Well, maybe or maybe not. The magic microbial meteorite NASA scientists t=
outed this summer is nothing like any other meteorite ever found - litera=
lly in a class by itself.


Please visit, www.MeteoriteArticles.com, a free on-line archive of meteor=
 and meteorite articles.

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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV><B><FONT size=3D=
2> <P>Paper: Chronicle Telegram</P> <P>City: Elyria, Ohio</P> <P>Date: Fr=
iday, November 11, 1996</P> <P>Page: A (8?)</P></B> <P>&nbsp;</P> <P>Mete=
orites for sale! You got $2 million?</P> <P>&nbsp;</P> <P>NEW YORK (AP) -=
 Even in New York, these rocks are pricey chunks of real estate. But then=
, what's a brownstone on Park Avenue when you can own a piece of Mars?</P=
> <P>When three small Martian meteorites go on the auction block here Nov=
 20, the man greasing the skids boasts they'll sell for $1.5 million, $2=
 million maybe more.</P> <P>"These will probably go down in history as th=
e three most precious pieces of stone that were sold by main," the myster=
ious figure who owns them told The Associated Press in a phone call. Neit=
her he nor Guernsey's auction house, which is arranging the sale, will re=
veal his identity.</P> <P>Guernsey's bills the rocks as the world's only =
private collection containing all three types of Martian meteorites known=
 to exist in the world, and most pieces of them are held by museums, gove=
rnments and research institutions. But private enthusiasts also have a ha=
nd in what's always been one of the most bizarre collectors' markets arou=
nd.</P> <P>The market for meteorites was already picking up this summer w=
hen NASA scientists announced they found signs of life in Allan Hills 840=
01, a chunk of Martian rock discovered in Antarctica 12 years ago.</P> <P=
>Since then, prices have gone sky-high. Every millionaire on Earth seems =
to want a little piece of the red planet, and meteorite collectors and de=
alers have watched with mixed glass and terror as their arcane little hob=
by became a serious precious commodity.</P> <P>"This whole market has bee=
n in such a tizzy - you can ask almost any price you want," says Blaine R=
eed, a meteorite dealer based in Durango, Colo. "It's a little scary."</P=
> <P>Arian Ettinger isn't frightened. The president of Guernsey's, who ha=
s sold Cuban cigars, Elvis Presley's clothing and antique carousel ponies=
, is pushing his wares as it they were the Hope diamond, crown jewels and=
 Jackie O's engagement ring rolled into one.</P> <P>"Anything else would =
pale next to it," Ettinger says.</P> <P>Which is why he's decided to pres=
ent the three meteorites as the sole lot in the auction.</P> <P>The $20 c=
atalog, which must be purchased to gain admission puts the meteorites' va=
lue at $1.5 million to $2 million, which is high by anybody's standards. =
Reed guessed the pound of rock is worth something in the neighborhood of =
$680,000, and other experts say only that they aren't worth anywhere near=
 $1 million.</P> <P>But that doesn't mean somebody won't pay that much - =
or more.</P> <P>"We've seen nothing but the value of the Mars meteorites =
go up, all the way back to Mars." meteorite&nbsp;dealer Robert Haag of Tu=
cson, Ariz., said giddily when he heard of the impending auction.</P> <P>=
Haag doesn't think the auction is such a big deal, however, because, for =
one thing, the three rocks don't really represent the full range of Marti=
an meteorites. Most geologists put the dozen known meteorites in four or =
five different classes, not&nbsp;the &nbsp;three delineated when such met=
eorites first were discovered.</P> <P>Collectors can't get their hands on=
 the additional types, though, because the U.S. and Japanese governments =
own all the Martian meteorites that fall&nbsp;in those classes and can't =
legally sell them.</P> <P>"Basically, all of us are shy of a full set," R=
eed says.</P> <P>Guernsey's isn't the first house to offer meteorites at =
auction. That distinction belongs to Phillips, which plans&nbsp;to offer =
four more Martian specimens Dec. 14.</P> <P>And, technically, the three r=
ocks being offered by Guernsey's don't constitute the only privately held=
 collection containing the three types, as the auction house claims. Reed=
 says he has tiny gains of all three types in his collection.</P> <P>Neve=
r mind that, though. The most provocative thing about the meteorites on t=
he block in Ettinger's claim that one of the could contain signs of life.=
</P> <P>"The composition is almost identical, so there is every reason to=
 believe that what might exist or what does exist in the Allan Hills mete=
orite is present in this specimen," he says.</P> <P>Well, maybe or maybe =
not. The magic microbial meteorite NASA scientists touted this summer is =
nothing like any other meteorite ever found - literally in a class by its=
elf.</P></FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT><BR><BR>Please visit, w=
ww.MeteoriteArticles.com, a free on-line archive of meteor and meteorite =
articles.</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Sun 21 Dec 2003 11:31:23 AM PST