[meteorite-list] Meteorite Substitution- What if...

From: almitt <almitt_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun Dec 12 20:04:32 2004
Message-ID: <41BCEB29.2023DECA_at_kconline.com>

Hi Darrne and all,

As you stated, without knowing the location find or fall then we could be dealing with a single 100 gram
stone (which would get a much higher price) than a strewnfield with a 100 kg total weight. This in my
opinion is the trouble with the NWA finds. The stone you buy could be a main mass or there could be tons
of it.

The damage is it could very easily undermine the market to the point of collapse or serious damage if
people feel the credibility of the material they are buying isn't being properly presented in, find
location, and total known weight. How would people like to have the value of their meteorites drop to
10% of what you have in them??

Yes, they can tell where some of the material comes from and you should look up in the newest Catalog of
Meteorites or go online to the Meteoritical Bulletins and see Nova 1,2,3, and 4. There has been some
questions about some other specimens also.

--AL Mitterling


Darren Garrison wrote:

> I'd say, so what if they do? I agree there is SOME value in knowing WHERE a meteorite landed-- an
> idea of the total mass, an idea of the orbit-- but those are two of the least important, most cosmetic
> and incidental aspects of the meteorite. The main scientific value lies in the contents of the stone
> itself. So I would say that just about the only harm that would be done would be to the wallets of
> the collecters trying to get stones from specific locations.
Received on Sun 12 Dec 2004 08:06:50 PM PST