[meteorite-list] Possible Ebay Solution re: Policeman etc.

From: SSachs9056_at_aol.com <SSachs9056_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:28:25 2004
Message-ID: <7b.1aabd0cb.2cb89969_at_aol.com>

Good evening list,

Been a while since I threw in my 2 grams worth on a subject. Tom, and others,
you bring up a good points with regards to size of meteorites and cost
relation, etc. It seems to me that meteorite auctions are a bit trickier to post
than say, Wedgewood china, Waterford crystal, etc. Again you are still at the
mercy of the seller, in that fake china pieces abound, but for the most part, the
seller sometimes will have closeups of Mfgr / markings, artist signatures,
etc. We in the meteorite community don't have that benefit.

I for one would like to see a dealer, if the desire moves them, to offer a
modestly priced meteorite "Sampler Box" to newbies jsut looking into getting
this hobby. I don't mean 10 or 25 samples, but maybe 3, i.e. an iron, an ordinary
chondrite, and possibly a piece of inexpensive pallasite. Along with the
samples would obviously be information about meteorites, and meteorwrongs for
that matter. Keeping the price low, and advertising it as "Starter" kit would
allow persons who don't have any idea what to look for, or any knowledge about
meteorites, a new beginning. I still have a few of Ninninger's starter kits and
have been surprised (considering all of the Ebay consternation) no-one has
tried to duplicate Ninninger's sample/ starter kit.

If the cost factor is a problem, just offer one sample. At least a newbie,
unwisely putting a bid on an obvious piece of slag, (and possibly a large bid)
won't get burned. If the newbie chooses to ignore an offering of an educational
"Sampler Box" and opts for the "big one"...well that's their choice. As is
said in the Indiana Jones movie: "He chose unwisely".

As it is now, some bidders don't know about IMCA, or possibly don't care. The
"Meteorwrong" pages that some members offer are EXCELLENT. The question is:
how do you get a newbie to go to it? And would the pages translate from the
meteorwrong page back to the Ebay page? It may be very confusing to the person
just introduced to this science.

Anywho..... Feedback???
Received on Fri 10 Oct 2003 07:23:21 PM PDT