[meteorite-list] Tucson Auction #1

From: Kevin Kichinka <marsrox_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:45:55 -0600
Message-ID: <AANLkTik0VeFwdTcyQgGJ1YuFn-EsyHYxqjtb2eHzOdR4_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hola from Costa Rica to "Team Meteorite".

That's my impression of how the folks on this bulletin board have come
together over the last couple of years to become a self-policing body
of collectors, dealers, hunters and researchers. The discourse here is
now civil, informative, personal, supportive and energetic. I take my
daily dose of world met events by way of the list archives and enjoy
reading your comments covering the personalities, business, sales
offers and breaking news of world falls. Just excellent! I'm glad I
stuck around.

These days, I'm interested in reading about your hunting adventures,
seeing your photos, and learning more about the mets that interest me.
And because I write about meteorites from time to time, I do want to
know your opinions about this hobby, as per my request this week for
views on your collection habits to help me respond to a magazine
feature to be written by someone else.

I was pleased that "team member" Richard Montgomery asked me to share
my thoughts about the publication on the m-list of the results of the
Blood auction in Tucson this month. I think this is important, too. I
also have comments on two other current topics, the usefulness of a
meteorite "price list" and about transparency in this hobby.

In my recently released "2011 Global Meteorite Price Report" I state:
"I hope to continue to educate and inform collectors and dealers while
encouraging market transparency. We all want to acquire fine specimens
at a fair price."

The price list I compile is based on "prices dealers are asking", i.e. "retail."

Later I add, "I do not do not collect data from auctions, eBay or from
sources that represent circumstantial, limited or privileged
exchanges."

Respected dealer Matt Morgan wrote today, "... coming up with
meteorite price lists is a joke. They don't account for all the sales
that are dealer-dealer, dealer-collector, collector-collector, ebay,
etc."

Price lists for stamps and coins don't report "dealer-dealer,
collector-collector, ebay..." but are surely considered a tool of the
trade. The real problem with coming up with average dealer ask prices
for mets is in determining the value of the same specie that are sold
in slices, fragments, as individuals, with crust, with regs.... This
is not easy, it is subjective, and when someone comes up with a better
way, I will step aside.

Because I set up a methodology years ago before eBay or the Blood
auction, the results and trends of my work are consistent. And yes,
the results of these other "classes of sales" is relevant. The more
data collected leads one to make better purchasing/selling decisions.
But one has to start somewhere. Use my price report and do more due
diligence before pulling the trigger on that buy. Be confident in your
decision.

Many in the dealer community consistently purchase my "Global Price
Report", voting with their cash as to its usefulness. Written from a
collectors point-of-view, I believe it helps keep the market
transparent, helps people guess-ti-mate the value of their
collections, (my personal reason for doing this work) and provides
clear trends for many specific and classes of meteorites.

I'm emailing Matt a courtesy copy of "The 2011 Global Meteorite Price
Report" for his re-consideration.

(to be continued...)

Kevin Kichinka
Tambor de Alajuela
www.theartofcollectingmeteorites.com
www.LaQ-CostaRica.com
Received on Thu 24 Feb 2011 05:45:55 PM PST