[meteorite-list] Excessively Large Reward a bad precedent.

From: ensoramanda at ntlworld.com <ensoramanda_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:35:09 +0100
Message-ID: <20090329113509.7XSVW.29906.root_at_web08-winn.ispmail.private.ntl.com>

Hi Al, All.

That was exacty my thought Al. We have had lots of talk about hunters needing to charge high prices for West to get a return. I understand that travel, research and all the other costs and time involved have to be taken into account when working our price, but actually $10 000 for a kilo leaves a very good profit if West is selling at $50 - $100/g. Those who collected a 100g stand to take up to $5000. If less than that is collected I can see that folks could easily make a loss out there, so a dilema!.. but the TKW has risen steadily and may rise more....so more will be for sale and as you say Al...even without the initial rewards news gets around and landowners soon wise up by checking the internet. Dealers/hunters are always going to be competitive in being the first out there to offer pieces to make their profit and thus high prices are out there within a few days for anyone to find.

West has a great story behind it due to the number of hunters out there reporting back...but in my opinion is not really any more special than many other fresh falls that are priced much better and certainly not a fall like Carancas.

I agree that more should be stressed about the science...but newspapers like a good story and the price will always come to the fore.

I can't see how a gentlemans agreement will change anything once the first stones are up for sale at that price.

....and falls in easily accessible areas are always going to attract other 'amateur' hunters/treasure seekers that are likely to upset the locals.

but the hunt story, posts and photographs of the West Fall have been extraordinary...so thanks to all those who shared their experiences...I wish I had been there.

My twopenneth/ramble anyway.

Graham Ensor, UK

---- almitt <almitt at kconline.com> wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> The trouble with a gentleman's agreement is you need two gentlemen.
>
> Another problem with all this is, the next fall, when specimens are
> found, the first thing that the owners are
> going to do is go to the Internet and put in a search of meteorites and
> price. What they will find is all the
> insane priced items, what meteorites sold for in West Texas and other
> localities like Park Forest. It is all on
> the Internet and it does not go away.
>
> Best!
>
>
> --AL Mitterling
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Received on Sun 29 Mar 2009 06:35:09 AM PDT