[meteorite-list] West Specimen for sale AD

From: Rob McCafferty <rob_mccafferty_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:42:16 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <966446.14857.qm_at_web55206.mail.re4.yahoo.com>

I don't know if I'm the only person who feels this or not.
I personally felt that the offering of this new material before it was officially classified was distasteful.

Collectors are constantly being branded as "bounty hunters" or "treasure seekers". Surely, all collectors can see that to obtain virgin material before it can be officially classified or examined is against scientific principles.

I realise that some collectors may have more money to hand than museums. I also realise that the hunters have overheads to cover but the offering of material to collectors before it is offered to science just seems wrong to me.

My hobby is other peoples livelyhood and this action just does not sit well with me and I'll wager it does not sit well with the general public, either. How does this help us?

Rob McC



      
Received on Sun 22 Feb 2009 07:42:16 PM PST