[meteorite-list] Speck Issues - Reply to this subject

From: Dave Schultz <indy1996_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 15:35:43 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <531179.30124.qm_at_web52903.mail.re2.yahoo.com>

  Hi Frank and all. This is a bit off the speck
subject a bit, but still applies to the theory of
breaking up specimens, that Frank and including myself
really hate to see. Recently I sold a beautiful full
slice of a meteorite on eBay, hoping to raise a little
money for Tucson, and also so that some collector
would enjoy it as much as I did, only to find out
later, that the winning bidder broke up that beautiful
slice into smaller pieces and was selling those on
eBay. This really bummed myself out and also another
collector who was thinking of bidding on it. I know
that this meant that more collectors could have a
piece of this meteorite, but some how just didn`t sit
right with me, and had I known that that was going to
happen, I wouldn`t have listed it at all, but I guess
that is the chance we all take when selling personal
collection pieces.
                                          Dave



> Hi Mike,
>
> I don't disagree with you and I'd trust both Blaine
> and you 100% to be selling what you say you are, but
> unfortunately, not all dealers are the same. The
> following is from another dealers site talking about
> a
> 0.62g, 0.60g and 1.12g thin part slices of Barbotan.
> he wrote:
>
> "NOTE: these are the prices ONLY until one sells.
> Then
> there will be a 50% increase. When the
> second one sells, the third will be broken up and
> the
> price more than trippled. These are literally
> irrepalcable. March2, 2008 a piece of this sold on
> eBay for over $5,000.00 per gram. These are
> listed at bargain prices:"
>
> I have no question that these aren't Barbotan, just
> hate seeing historical meteorites ending up as
> specks.
> It is kind of ironic that he should say "These
> [pieces] are literally irreplacable" and then
> proceed
> to pull out a hammer!
>
> I think the biggest potential for fraud would be for
> some non dealer on ebay selling (HYPOTHECIAL CASE):
> Have to sell my 20mg fragment of Mokoia, purchased a
> year ago from Mike Farmer, comes with his collection
> card".
>
> All the best,
> Frank
>
>
> --- Michael Farmer <meteoriteguy at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Guys, there is no problem here. You know, as a
> > dealer
> > who cuts and messes with thousands of meteorites
> per
> > year, you end up with plenty of crumbs, dust, and
> > specks. Please don't think that we are smashing
> > these
> > things with hammers in order to maximize profit!
> > Specks are a byproduct of making a large piece
> into
> > multiple pieces, not taking a .2 gram meteorite
> > piece
> > and turning it into 20 pieces, at least not on
> > purpose.
> > As far as buying these specks on ebay, you must
> > indeed
> > trust your dealer, someone like Blaine or myself,
> we
> > make enough money not to need to waste time
> scamming
> > people. If I say it is Mokoia, you can rest
> assured
> > that it is not Allende fragments. If you buy from
> > just
> > anyone on ebay just because they say they have
> > something, well, buyer beware.
> > Michael Farmer
> > --- Walter Branch <waltbranch at bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Frank,
> > >
> > > I could not agree more with you. Every word,
> > every
> > > line.
> > >
> > > Remember when Blaine Reed brought out DAG 262?
> > > There
> > > were a few who looked at the specks and balked
> but
> > > because it
> > > was Blaine who was selling it, the pedigree was
> > > beyond reproach.
> > >
> > > This is not meant to be an indictment of Blaine.
>
> > > Quite the opposite.
> > >
> > > I understand the economic pressures of ever
> > smaller
> > > pieces of
> > > meteorite selling for ever higher prices, but it
> > > seems the price-to-weight
> > > graph is almost "U" shaped, with more and more
> > > material ending up
> > > as smaller and smaller fragments.
> > >
> > > Where is Steve Schoner? I'd always liked to
> hear
> > > his comments on this. :-)
> > >
> > > -Walter Branch
> > > (From sunny and beautiful Savannah. What the
> heck
> > > am I doing
> > > indoors. Oh, that's right - I have a job!)
> > >
> >
>
-----------------------------------------------------
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Frank Cressy" <fcressy at prodigy.net>
> > > To: "Meteorite List"
> > > <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> > > Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 3:41 PM
> > > Subject: [meteorite-list] Speck Issues - Reply
> to
> > > this subject
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hello all,
> > > >
> > > > This is a resend of a previous post. I meant
> to
> > > > change the subject line but in my fever
> muddled
> > > state
> > > > I forgot. Sorry about that. Please reply to
> > this
> > > > post to avoid confusion.
> > > >
> > > > Frank
> > > >
> > > > --- Frank Cressy <fcressy at prodigy.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Hi Michael and all,
> > > >>
> > > >> The Barboton you mentioned was a 9mg speck
> and
> > > went
> > > >> for $46.67. Many people shopping ebay don't
> > > blink
> > > >> until the price reaches a $100 or more. So
> > > >> price/gram
> > > >> on a speck means nothing. The problem I see
> is
> > > that
> > > >> this and other hammer specks and rare and
> > > historical
> > > >> specks can never be verified. Barbotan is an
> > H5
> > > >> veined chondrite...see any veining? On the
> > above
> > > >> example, Peter M was the seller and I have
> 100%
> > > >> confidence that this was indeed Barbotan,
> Now
> > > what
> > > >> if
> > > >> the winner "1randombid" with a "private"
> > feedback
> > > >> profile finds a larger Barbotan speck next
> > week,
> > > and
> > > >> decides to sell this one, maybe even using
> > > Peter's
> > > >> original box and card. Still 100% sure of
> > it???
> > > >> Unless you know the complete collection
> history
> > > of
> > > >> the
> > > >> piece with everyone involved, can a buyer
> have
> > > even
> > > >> a
> > > >> shred of confidence that the speck is what it
> > is
> > > >> described to be. At least the Bessey Specks
> of
> > > 10
> > > >> years ago were either Nakhla and Zagami, and
> > with
> > > a
> > > >> good lens or microscope one could be quite
> > > certain
> > > >> as
> > > >> to what he/she had. A little more difficult
> > with
> > > an
> > > >> H5 or an L6 to say the least.
> > > >>
> > > >> Michael, I also have 100% confidence that
> your
> > > >> material is what you say it is, but then I
> also
> > > >> wouldn't bet the farm on it. I also know if
> > > >> something
> > > >> were to be found in error, you'd stand behind
> > it
> > > as
> > > >> would most dealers. However, with the prices
>
=== message truncated ===



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Received on Mon 03 Mar 2008 06:35:43 PM PST