AW: [meteorite-list] An open message to all list members

From: Martin Altmann <altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Aug 28 06:48:21 2006
Message-ID: <005501c6ca8f$78ba57d0$4f41fea9_at_name86d88d87e2>

Hi Mike,

I have to say, that IMCA is meanwhile - and remember, that this club, isn't
that old yet, a true improvement especially for European sellers offering
more frequently their stuff on US-ebay.
The European collectorship using their national ebays is to small (and
grosso modo uninformed about meteorite pricing), so that European collectors
and ebay-dealers have often no choice to offer in USA.
And here we had in past the problem, that the bidders there often were a
little bit shy in buying from European offerers, I guess, because they
weren't sure, what to do if complications would appear and so the European
stuff got on average (in same quality, with same shipping costs) results,
which were 30-40% lower than those of the US-sellers.

With the IMCA-label now, it isn't the case anymore, neither for newer
collectors and sellers.
Hence, from this empirical view, I conclude, that the IMCA-label is broadly
accepted now by the collectorship as a cachet for authenticity and for a
certain standard of business.

Thus, if you remember, what for a hard work and a rat race it was, to merit
a good standings and reputation, when one wants to be a meteorite dealer -
the IMCA-seal makes things a lot easier.

And if I hear sometimes complaints about the enormous annual fees of 20
bucks, I have to grin - 2 or 3 ebay-auctions and the fees are amortized.
I'm not a mineral or fossil dealer, but I could imagine, that the member
fees for the national and international organisations (and here the
meteorite world has the advantage, that the community is so small, that only
a single association can cover it) are higher.

For the collectors, especially for the new collectors, the advantage of IMCA
is indisputable.
I see it from my daily work - in past I was often asked: Do you know this
seller, can I trust him...
Since there is IMCA the number of those questions declined remarkably and
I'm asked only in cases of non-IMCA-sellers.
(Some not specialized resellers even propagate their stuff now, to be
obtained from IMCA-dealers).

So I have no problem, especially concerning ebay-sales, to make propaganda
for IMCA, where I can.
I have enough clients, who bought from there fakes and totally
misrepresented stones. Take a look - all those Nantan fakes; those old
weathered fragments, which should be oriented and with fusion crust, the
museum quality rust buckets, the Moon fakes..ect.
So I tell the beginners always, buy from IMCA-members, they aren't more
expensive, but you can be sure to get the right stuff and/or assistance, if
problems appear or ask at least a person, you trust in, if you're not sure,
whenever you find something interesting at non-IMCA-dealers.

Of course there are some important dealers, who aren't members,
either because they have worked out a sufficient large regular customership
or are living legends or simply are to saturated or meteorites aren't their
main scope, who aren't members of IMCA
and from those the collectors can and should buy too,
but that doesn't take much away from the improvements the IMCA achieved in
so relatively short time.

>From IMCA collectors and dealers benefit likewise,
even you as a non-member, because the credibility in that branch in general
is improved by IMCA.

Buckleboo!
Martin






-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von Michael
Farmer
Gesendet: Montag, 28. August 2006 04:35
An: stan .; david.carothers_at_verizon.net; dfreeman@fascination.com
Cc: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] An open message to all list members

I am not a member, Bob Haag is not a member, and many
of the dealers in Europe are not members.
The IMCA is a good idea, but not for me, too many
unresolved issues for me to join.
Mike Farmer
Received on Mon 28 Aug 2006 06:48:14 AM PDT