[meteorite-list] Meteorite Pricing/Values

From: MeteorHntr_at_aol.com <MeteorHntr_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Dec 23 16:10:19 2005
Message-ID: <1a3.42a83308.30ddc1a7_at_aol.com>

Dean,

Great post. There are so many factors to the value of any particular
specimen as you pointed out.

One thing I think people selling meteorites should do is take a little more
time in justifying the price they are asking. This means justifying why the
price might be particularly low (as you do so well in offering low NWA prices
- yet you also put the twist in that you feel that soon the prices
justifiably will go higher later). That is marketing.

On the other hand, if someone is asking a particularly high price for
something, that too needs to be explained. Again, that too is marketing.

Without the explanation offered by the seller, all to often as a buyer it is
easy for people think you are asking too much, if not for the simple purpose
of positioning yourself for a higher value in a trade or so that you can
come way down making the person feel like they got a great bargain. Or possibly
people might think you are indeed trying to rip people off by overpricing
your material.
 
And if one is asking what most consider is a normal fair price, justify that
too.
 
Whatever the case, help prospective buyers at least understand where you are
coming from.
 
I remember Mike Farmer seven years ago posting about how hot it was in
Portales hunting for PV and how cows were dying and blaoting in the heat. I am
not sure it that was a legitimate justification for a market price on PV, but
at least we knew where he was coming from. We knew in part why he personally
valued a specimen at say $18/g rather than maybe $17/g.

I think as buyers (or on the list - as critics) we should acknowledge
legitimate qualities in particular specimens and justify why he or she agrees or
disagrees with a stated price. Without such justification, the critic looks
even more foolish than the seller. Instead of replying with a statement, why
not respond with a question as to why they think it is worth such and such a
price. Put the responsibility of justifying a price back on the seller rather
on yourself to justify why it is not worth it.
 
And if a buyer doesn't accurately justify why they don't buy (albeit only to
themselves) then they are likely to miss out on some great bargains thinking
they were making a good decision.

Remember, if we all agreed to the value of all meteorites, we dealers would
be out of a job, and this list would be very boring.

Steve Arnold
Arkansas
Received on Fri 23 Dec 2005 04:09:59 PM PST