[meteorite-list] Announcment: Rollin' Rock Meteorite Sales Letter -First issue ready for Launch !

From: Greg Hupe <gmhupe_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Oct 27 17:50:26 2005
Message-ID: <026701c5db40$6c50c630$e8115c18_at_Gregor>

Hi Martin and List,

I fully agree with your fine points regarding new meteorite collectors. Some
"newbies" see all aspects of collecting and different types, qualities,
weathering levels, etc., while others do not. I, as well you and others,
also answer a large amount of emails from those who are new to the hobby. It
is a huge time sink but worth the effort. New friendships and informed
collectors are formed in this way.

I did forget to mention I also supply some dealers with some of what I have
so it is represented in other arenas opposed to just eBay. That brings a
thought to mind on how I can better represent my material in my eBay ads...
:-)

I was thinking of going to the Munich Show this year at the last minute but
then, as always, another pressing issue came up and alas, no show. I am
hoping, and talking about, going to the different European shows next year.
I would like to meet all of my friends there who I have not met in person
and of course the ones I have met.

Have a great show to all who are there.

Best regards,

Greg

----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin Altmann" <Altmann_at_Meteorite-Martin.de>
To: "Greg Hupe" <gmhupe_at_tampabay.rr.com>;
<Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 4:45 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Announcment: Rollin' Rock Meteorite Sales
Letter -First issue ready for Launch !


> Hi Greg, list
>
> just back from the show - uuuh I saw some stones.....
>
> Certainly you are right, that not all stuff on ebay is boring or of low
> quality, especially not yours, which I have to admit, are best prepared
> even
> then if they are only of micromount size.
> BUT. Don't forget that meanwhile, I'd guess, the majority of collectors
> came
> to meteorites in the very recent times, at the culmination years of the
> desert rush and they have no orientation (and they don't read Kichinka's
> book).
> Among my clients there were so many, who collected regardless of the
> class,
> outer appearence, weathering degree one ugly brown stone after the other
> and
> thought, this would be the essence of meteorite collecting. Some of them
> even bought at the beginning always the same 3 or 4 localities or numbers.
> They are not cutting and preparing by themselves - then at least I could
> understand, that it would be a thrill, no, they put that unclassified
> expressionless chunks in the display cases and are thinking, that's it.
> They clearly need some education, to discover the thrilling nuances and
> aspects of this hobby (else I'd think, it will be boring for them within a
> short time). Another phenomenon is, that, often independend from their
> financial means, they are buying specks or micromounts, obviously they
> collect numbers and names, but not meteorites. I ask you, where on a
> mm-sized micro you can enjoy for instance a good brecciation? Third
> problem - and this is caused solely by ebay, they do not appreciate a high
> quality preparation and are not able to reckognise outstanding specimens,
> because usually every piece of, sorry, crap on ebay is attributed as it
> would be the Star of India.
> Take please a look to German ebay. It's often a cosmic garbage dump,
> because
> the sellers can't list quality anymore as it is not paid there. For an
> iron
> etched au point with fanciest inclusions and Neumann lines they will pay
> exactely the same as for the same iron in form of a rusty rough specimen.
> Furthermore they aren't able to value rare or historic falls, as they are
> used to pay always the same for the ordinary desert stuff, if they see an
> Eagle Station, then they think, humm it's a pallasite, seller says it's
> ultrarare, so he can't complain, if I bid 3 times more as for Brahin and
> it
> will end at 5$/g.
>
> Greg, I tell you, the last 4 or 5 years I spend the largest part of my
> time
> in answering questions of rookies or even of those, who never held a
> meteorite in their hands, telling them all the facettes of the stones and
> our hobby, often mailing 80++ hours per week, felt almost like a virtual
> German Nininger (time which I rather should have spent for
> selling&enjoying
> life). Meteorites are rare, they are special, it's an absolutely exotic
> niche (ask mineral&fossil dealers, what they and their clientele are
> thinking about stones from space...),
> accordingly difficult is it for the beginning collectors to find
> information
> at all and to find their way through the jungle of the nowadays offered
> material.
>
> And from the economical point of view I would say, if we take them by the
> hand, encourage them with our knowledge and help them to develope their
> individual styles and taste, we all will profit. The dealers, as good
> material will be paid better - the collectors, as they'll be able to
> separate the wheat from the chaff (and as long as ignorance or market,
> tell
> it like you want, keeps the prices so low, to make their bargains).
>
>>but the sales end of your message
>> really stands out in your posting.
>
> That's why we call it a "Sales Letter".
> The sales letter now, is nothing else as an attempt to focus on a monthly
> changing selection of extraordinary pieces, a promise not to molest the
> collectors with the common stuff, which they find day by day offered -
> that's all.
>
> Your attempt is different, you are selling your fine material via your
> name
> and your reputation (and the expections, which result from this), which
> you
> gained because of your work in the last years. I'm convinced, that you
> would
> get out worse results on ebay, if you would sell your stones more or less
> anonymous or if you wouldn't introduce them to the list in your elaborate
> way (-->education).
> (Here we chose the way of suscription, so that only those, who are
> interested in specimens of that niveau will recieve it, so that nobody can
> complain about unwanted ads. - Have to write this, as someone feared, we
> would sell the email-adresses :-).
>
> The discussion, where better to buy - from ebay or from dealers' offers,
> we
> don't have to start here.
> Every experienced collector (and dealer too) will agree, that on both ways
> one can make advantageous purchases.
>
> Buckleboo!
> Martin
>
> PS: When will you make it finally once to the Munich show? From both
> Hupe-towns to North Africa it's quite a distance, compared the way from
> North Africa to Munich is only a cat's jump, as we say here.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg Hupe" <gmhupe_at_tampabay.rr.com>
> To: "Martin Altmann" <Altmann_at_Meteorite-Martin.de>
> Cc: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 8:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Announcment: Rollin' Rock Meteorite Sales
> Letter -First issue ready for Launch !
>
>
>> Dear Martin and List Members,
>>
>> Thank you Martin for the invitation to receive your group's monthly news
>> letter. I believe you will have great success.
>>
>> You stated:
>> "...which clearly stand out from the unmanageable flood of mediocre and
>> really bad stones sold e.g.on ebay..."
>>
>> I agree that there are many bad and unscrupulous dealers/sellers on eBay
> and
>> elsewhere, but your statement "e.g. ebay" makes it sound as if all
>> meteorites offered on eBay are undesirable. I do not think you are doing
> the
>> collector right here with this statement as many rare and excellent
>> meteorites are first announced on eBay by myself and others. This is
>> where
> I
>> have announced Lunars, Martians, Brachinites, Angrites and the list goes
> on
>> and on. It will continue to go on as I have more rare beauties to be
>> announced in the near future. I also prepare each specimen as if it were
> to
>> stay in my own personal collection, using a diamond lap polisher to a
> level
>> each individual meteorite requires.
>>
>> I prefer to use eBay instead of a web site as I have had several Internet
>> concerns over the years and prefer not to go that route anymore for
>> sales.
> I
>> find that I have more personal time for travel and other interests
>> without
> a
>> web site to tend to.
>>
>> I prepare and offer choice specimens from larger museum quality down to
>> smaller, more affordable specimens. I consider all ranges of collector
>> needs. If someone wants a larger specimen after my first initial
>> offering,
>> they simply email me to see if I have something they are looking for.
>>
>> I think your news letter is a great idea, but the sales end of your
> message
>> really stands out in your posting.
>>
>> I mean no offense to you or any member of your news letter group, just
> want
>> to clarify what I believe was an unjust statement in your email.
>>
>> Best regards and I look forward to receiving your news letter,
>>
>> Greg Hupe
>> The Hupe Collection
>> NaturesVault (eBay)
>> gmhupe_at_tampabay.rr.com
>> IMCA 2185
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Martin Altmann" <Altmann_at_Meteorite-Martin.de>
>> To: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2005 4:32 AM
>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Announcment: Rollin' Rock Meteorite Sales
>> Letter -First issue ready for Launch !
>>
>>
>> > Dear meteorite enthusiasts,
>> >
>> > not without a certain pride, we are glad to announce to the meteorite
>> > collecting community the forthcoming launch on Nov 1 of the first issue
>> > of:
>> >
>> > The Rollin' Rock Meteorite Sales Letter !
>> >
>> > This sales letter is our new instrument to address to the interested
>> > collector, who shares with us the fondness for exceptionel collection
>> > specimens of premium quality & aesthetics, rarest localities and
> uncommon
>> > types. Once per month this e-letter will be delivered to you by e-mail,
>> > offering a new selection of choice specimens, which clearly stand out
> from
>> > the unmanageable flood of mediocre and really bad stones sold e.g.on
> ebay,
>> > which in the recent years was threatening our beloved passion for those
>> > rare
>> > guests from space to fall into a certain arbitrarness, last but not
> least
>> > leaving the beginning collector in nebulous nesciences, what this
>> > fascinating occupation could be about at all.
>> >
>> > Additionally for your entertainment and also for those, who aren't
>> > focussing
>> > on such dimensioned meteoritic examples yet, the sales letter is
> seasoned
>> > with articles containing actual news from the world of meteorites.
>> >
>> > The Rollin Rock Team consists of dealers, prospectors and collectors of
>> > excellent reputation,
>> > who naturally adhere to the highest standards.
>> >
>> > Suscription is free, can be revoked anytime, hence:
>> > Watch the preview
>> > www.rollin-rock.com
>> > and suscribe for not missing the first issue on 1st of November!
>> >
>> > Martin Altmann,
>> > on the behalf of the Rollin' Rock Team
>> >
>> > ______________________________________________
>> > Meteorite-list mailing list
>> > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>> > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>
>
Received on Thu 27 Oct 2005 05:50:18 PM PDT