[meteorite-list] IMCA and New Nevada Meteorite on Ebay

From: Nicholas Gessler <gessler_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Jul 12 15:22:34 2004
Message-ID: <6.0.0.22.2.20040712114304.020ca618_at_mail.ucla.edu>

Hi IMCA members and non-members:

Bob has hit the nail on the head!
Just what does displaying the IMCA logo mean or guarantee?
I have not seen this addressed on the IMCA list, so it looks like he
discussion falls here.

It seems to me that displaying the IMCA logo should obligate members to
GUARANTEE the authenticity of their sales.
Perhaps that is all that the IMCA can realistically do.

All of us have misidentified meteorites from time to time, amateurs and
professional meteoriticists alike. I don't think IMCA should be in the
authentication business. Yes, providing information on identifying
meteorites is fine, but there are several websites already doing that. At
present, the labs are the final arbiters of authenticity. But I am sure
there are many on this list who can distinguish most meteorites and
meteorwrongs without the help of a lab.

When eBay is asking for suggestions of proactive measures to be taken to
prevent fraud, in my opinion the best and only way to proceed is to allow
the public at large to express their opinions openly to the bidders and the
sellers. I know that eBay tries to prevent people from doing this, but
free comment is what makes a free market free.

I spoke to an eBay representative yesterday, and will continue that
discussion...

Cheers,
Nick
Received on Mon 12 Jul 2004 03:11:59 PM PDT