[meteorite-list] RE: Meteorite sales doing just fine & Meteorite Supply

From: Mike Fowler <mqfowler_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 13 01:13:15 2006
Message-ID: <BE46C11E-38A8-4338-BE57-D68322B894D2_at_mac.com>

> Bull # Ant. Other Tot.
> ------ ---- ----- ----
> MB 80: 42 136 178
> MB 81: 20 161 181
> MB 82: 521 453 974
> MB 83: 473 425 898
> MB 84: 842 498 1340 (NWA series begins: NWA 001-032)
> MB 85: 658 718 1376
> MB 86: 661 493 1154
> MB 87: 1048 850 1898
> MB 88: 753 857 1610
> MB 89: 1010 758 1768
>
> 3-year moving averages for total new meteorites (smoothes out
> volatile Antarctic component):
>
> 1997: 444.3
> 1998: 684.3
> 1999: 1070.7
> 2000: 1204.7
> 2001: 1290.0
> 2002: 1476.0
> 2003: 1554.0
> 2004: 1758.7
>
> Will MB 90 (2006) be the first year that shows a decline in
> the 3-year moving average? Depends a lot on the Antarctic
> totals in the upcoming Bulletin.
>
> --Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the research. I would propose that only non Antarctic
meteorites count as supply, since Antarctic meteorites are not
available. In that case, the number per the Met Bul may have peaked
3 years ago!

Mike Fowler
Chicago



>
> I get the feeling that if you took a poll of the list members
> here, most would argue that the meteorite market has been at best
> flat the last five years (and I would opine that it is actually
> down rather than flat). The combination of exquisite specimens,
> high-profile advertising, and Bonhams' well-healed bidders
> predictably leads to slightly inflated prices. Such an auction
> is not a reliable indicator of "general public" meteorite commerce.
>
> Compare meteorite prices with those of precious metals, oil,
> or even the S&P 500 over the last five years. Space rocks were
> hardly a good investment. New collectors waiting until today
> to acquire their first meteorite have a lot more buying power --
> and a greater variety of specimens from which to choose -- than
> they would have in 2001.
>
> The only thing that will drive meteorite prices up at this point
> is greater demand. We don't have a meteorite-equivalent of
> De Beers stock-piling meteorites and reducing the supply. Supply
> increases every year; in fact the *rate* of supply increase has
> itself been increasing over the last decade:
>
>
>
>
Received on Thu 13 Apr 2006 12:15:33 AM PDT