[meteorite-list] ID cards

From: Martin Altmann <altmann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:03:19 +0100
Message-ID: <00f101c70987$f9211bc0$4f41fea9_at_name86d88d87e2>

Hummm Frederic,

I think it's a little bit impolite to hand over to the collector an
ID-plank, instead of an ID-card.
How should one place such much information on a card, which is little larger
than 1 or 2 matchbooks?

I think the very rudimentary data are sufficient,
almost each collector knows how to use the Blue Book or the Bulletin
database, so that we don't have to put him under tutelage.
And don't forget, for many of them it's a fun, to categorize and to sort
their specimens by their own, to write their own specimen labels, to
customize and to build up their own databases or written documentation and
to hunt in the literature and web for more information about the individual
locales. That's one aspect, which makes collecting so satisfying.
Not to forget, that for some collectors also individual specimen cards are
collectible items or trophies. If they all would look the same, it would be
a little monotone, wouldn't it?
(I like our new cards, yummy, they even do have a hologram...)

Huh and David,
Close and tighten your Tyvek suit :-)

Let's take the worst case of collectors for a dealer as an example:
- They like to pay for the most exotic types 1 or 2 bucks per gram,
everything else they take for an extortion.
- They are buying only Micro- and Nanomounts in the sub-gram range.
- But please, highly polished in at least 6 steps on both sides.
- slices not thicker than 1mm,
- and absolutely coplanar.
They're waiting to get that stuff on ebay, where not so seldom, such
specimens die at 5$.
- They want to have it delivered from all over the world within 3 days after
auction has ended,
- but they don't want to pay more than 1$ shipment costs.
- They want to have it sent registered
- and with insurance.
- If they aren't fully pleased with that specimen (or when they found the
same locales meanwhile even more cheaper elsewhere), they want to send it
back at the dealer's expense.
- They want it to be well packed in a zip bag
- and in an air cushion envelope.
- For display it should come of course with a membrane box.
- To avoid customs tax, they want to get the receipt sent separately by
letter (of course on dealer's expense).

And now, the dealer should also add a super-designed label, colour print,
high gloss, laminated, professionally printed on deckle edged paper with a
personal dedication?

Ey David, in such cases it is by far cheaper and it would save so much time
for a dealer to send to such a customer not only the money back, but to add
a 10$ note, humbly thanking for the try to buy from him.

Martin

PS
(Hmm, I'd like to have to have a flimsy paper ID-card from Mr.Chladni,
Daubree, Cohen...)


-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von
Meteoriteshow
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 16. November 2006 13:33
An: David Weir; mark ford; meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] ID cards

Hi,
I guess that most of us are open to standardize meteorites' ID cards but I
think that the main stage would be to standardize the
information that should be stated on such cards, when available of course.
The material that the card is made of is another issue and if we want to
standardize this as well I'm quite sure that it won't reach
any complete agreement of each member of the community...
Here is a suggestion of what ID cards could mention:

- Name of the meteorite, with mention whether it is official (Nom Com) or
not (personal name or working name, when not yet
classified or Nom Com approved)
- Type, as accurate as possible (could be an estimation such as "OC", etc
when it is stated that the meteorite was not classified)
- Lab & sicentist who made the classification (when classified)
- Reference of Met Bul # & year (when classified)
- Place of find / fall, with if possible coordinates
- TKW
- Number of fragments
- Main scientific infos when classified (Fa% / Fs% for OCs, W, S, etc...)
- Specimen's weight
- Remarks (such as specimen's description -slice, endcut, individual,
fragment...- or possible pairings, etc...)
- And of course the name of the collection it comes from (with infos such as
website and e-mail addresses for instance)

All the best,

Frederic Beroud
http://www.meteoriteshow.com
IMCA member # 2491 (http://www.imca.cc/)

----- Original Message -----
From: "mark ford" <markf at ssl.gb.com>
To: "David Weir" <dgweir at earthlink.net>;
<meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 12:50 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] ID cards

> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of David
> Weir
> Sent: 16 November 2006 10:47
> To: Meteorite List
> Subject: [meteorite-list] ID cards
>
> Dear List,
>
> I remember when dealers used to give ID cards that were actually made
> from card stock, or at least thick paper. Perhaps those who sell
> thousands of specimens a year figure their businesses can save a few
> dollars by going to flimsy paper for their ID cards, that's their
> business decision. I personally don't like these flimsy paper "cards"
> because they get bent and tear easily and just aren't compatible with
> the real cards that I receive from the vast majority of dealers. I am
> hesitant to pass these flimsy pieces of paper on to others when I trade
> away or sell different specimens because they just make the specimen
> seem cheap somehow, comparable to the cheap paper used. I just don't
> understand how any highly successful meteorite business selling in a
> worldwide market and trying to maintain a high standard of excellence
> can provide such crappy (as in cow crappy) ID papers. I find it hard to
> imagine a reason to do this, except of course if the cost of the card
> stock for the card would be a significant portion of the sales profit,
> such as in a Bessy speck. I'm not referring to that situation. I have
> never seen this issue brought up on the list before and so I am
> fearlessly bringing it up. Those who take offense are welcome to throw
> crap at me, I have my Tyvek suit on and really don't care. I just get
> tired of dealers calling flimsy paper IDs "ID Cards", but I'll get over
> it in a few minutes.
>
> David
> The Weir Meteorite Collection
> meteoritestudies .com
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Received on Thu 16 Nov 2006 09:03:19 AM PST