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Contents:
-What is a Meteorite?
-Getting Started
-Types of Collecting
-Micromounts
-Bigger Pieces
-A Note on Pricing
-Advanced Collecting
-Buyer Beware!
-Closing Remarks
What is a Meteorite?
Most "shooting stars", or meteors, burn up in the earth's atmosphere never to be seen again. When a piece survives the trip and impacts the surface of the earth, it is known as a meteorite. Tens of thousands of meteorites have been identified and cataloged, with many winding up in museums or research institutions. Luckily for us, many wind up in the hands of collectors. Meteorite collecting can be a fascinating hobby - the specimens are interesting for their science, history, and aesthetic value. Like crystals and fossils, meteorites are a great way to bring a part of natural history into your home.
Getting Started
Great! So you're ready to get started! But not so fast... before you begin, you should educate yourself on the basics of meteorite collecting. A quick search for "meteorite " (or a link into eBay's Meteorite & Tektite category ) finds well over 1,000 results. How do you know if you're getting a good deal - or even an authentic piece at all? With prices ranging from $5 to $5,000, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Let's start by looking at inexpensive pieces.
Let's say you've decided to look for meteorites under $50. As of the time of this writing, eBay shows 851 results for "meteorite" in that price range. Including global sellers expands the list to 1001 results. This is still a lot to look through, but you'll soon learn how to spot the highlights. First, you'll notice that many of these "meteorites" aren't meteorites at all - they're meteorite impact glass or impactite. Two common types, tektites and moldavites, are often seen on eBay. While these items can be interesting for their own reasons, they're not really the focus of this guide.
The vast majority of eBay meteorite dealers are genuine and a pleasure to deal with. Some of them hunt pieces themselves, making trips all around the world in search of new inventory. Most of the big dealers attend rock shows like the annual Tucson Gem & Mineral show, where they buy material at wholesale. Organizations like the IMCA exist to promote good ethics in the meteorite community.
Types of Collecting
Before you commit to buy anything, you should browse around just to see what's out there. This will help you decide how to focus your collection. Are you interested in getting dozens of tiny pieces of various of meteorites, or would you rather just have one really big one? Are you more interested in meteorites of scientific value (such as a piece of Mars), or would you rather have meteorites of historic value (such as a piece that hit a car)? By seeing what's out there, you can get a feel for what you're drawn to. Many collectors look for modest specimens of "all of the above".
Micromounts
It shouldn't surprise you that inexpensive pieces are often smaller than expensive ones. Small collection pieces, or micromounts, are typically the size of a fingernail and usually come in plastic gem cases. Many people begin their collections this way, and some collectors never purchase any large specimens at all. If you're interested in meteorites for their science and history, then micromounts are the easiest way to amass a varied collection. They make great conversation pieces, and it's fun to have a shelf in your home with specimens that landed all around the world. Unfortunately, micromounts don't offer much in the way of aesthetic value - for that, we move on to bigger pieces.
Bigger Pieces
Although your home might not be ready for a 37-ton iron monster, you'll probably want some pieces that are bigger than gem case specimens. Every meteorite piece is unique, and as a buyer you should be aware of the different types. Since we're just getting started, we'll keep it simple: meteorites are either stone, iron, or (you guessed it) stony-iron. They are sold as individuals, slices, partslices, fragments, and endcuts. There are pros and cons to the way a specimen is prepared: individuals display the dark, melted outer surface of the meteorite (known as fusion crust), while polished slices display the interesting interior. Endcuts offer a little bit of both.
The most inexpensive meteorites on the market are stone meteorites from Northwest Africa (NWA). This is due to the large influx of pieces from the region in recent years. Many of these are classified and identified with a number (i.e. NWA 869), but some are not. A few are in pristine condition, but this is generally not the case. In fact, NWA's can be some of the most weathered meteorites on the market - with fusion crust all but gone and discoloration throughout the interior. Despite this, there are excellent finds from the NWA region. Although most collectors prefer the classified/numbered pieces, even some of the unclassified meteorites can make fine additions to a collection.
A Note on Pricing
You'll notice that meteorites are often priced "per gram". Also, as you might expect, the price per gram is usually lower when you buy in bulk. Never buy a meteorite if you do not know the weight or size! Fragments of rare meteorites, such as a piece of the Moon or Mars, are often the size of a grain of sand. This is fine, as long as you know what you're getting! High resolution scans can make a grain of sand look like a mountain, so always ask a seller first if they do not mention the mass or size. Thankfully, most dealers include an object in their photo for size comparison, such as a coin, hand, or centimeter cube.
Although mass provides a good basis for pricing, it is not the only thing to consider. The quality of specimens, even of the same meteorite fall, can vary. Most meteorites are at risk of rust, due to their iron-nickel content. A stony-iron meteorite like Brahin can be a superb quality slice ($10/g) or a jagged rust bomb ($1/g). This brings us to another issue - the cut of the piece. Meteorites, especially iron ones, are not easy to cut. When meteorite dealers slice a piece, they have to factor "cutting loss" into the price. Thinner slices are more visually appealing, because they have a larger surface area than a thick slice of equal mass. This, combined with the increased cutting loss inherent to thin slices, drives the value up.
Advanced Collecting
As your collection grows, you will undoubtedly want one or two "museum quality" pieces. As discussed already, many things can make a meteorite valuable. There are too many classifications to list (this is a beginner's guide, after all), but you will see angrites, howardites, and a variety of others that are exceedingly rare. Some of these materials are much rarer than diamond, so it is no surprise that they sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars per gram. In addition to rare classes, there is also value to be found in particularly nice specimens of common classes. Sikhote-Alin, for example, is a witnessed iron fall with some stunning individuals. Entry into the earth's atmosphere has given some pieces an oriented shape, with flow lines and even tiny impact craters on the surface.
Witnessed meteorite falls tend to be more valuable than average finds of the same class, and for good reason. When a piece is randomly found, it may have been outdoors for thousands of years. Moist areas lead to rust, and dry areas may have sandstorms that erode the piece. On the other hand, meteorites from a witnessed fall are usually recovered before much weathering can be done - and often have interesting stories. Although this is not always the case, many witnessed falls have a "fresher" appearance - making them fine additions to any collection. When a meteorite fall hits a manufactured object like a car or house, it is referred to as a "hammer"; due to the rarity of these occurrences, such pieces are significantly more valuable than an average find of the same class.
Buyer Beware!
A guide to meteorite collecting can not be complete without some warnings. As mentioned above, the majority of meteorite dealers are eBay are authentic and excellent to deal with. Many offer money-back guarantees. However, like any item on eBay, the saying "buyer beware" applies. Every day, there are fake meteorites on eBay. Some of these sellers are unaware that their rock is not a meteorite - often they are described as "I found this in my backyard and it looks like a rock from space." These auctions typically do not receive any bids. Unfortunately, some sellers are more mischievous. Earth rocks are polished, tumbled, or even burned with a blowtorch to resemble meteorites.
Over time you will learn the names of sellers you trust, and you will be able to spot the fakes immediately. Until then, here are a few pieces of advice:
I hope you've found this guide useful. Good luck with your collection! If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks go out to members of the Meteorite Central mailing list for advice.
-What is a Meteorite?
-Getting Started
-Types of Collecting
-Micromounts
-Bigger Pieces
-A Note on Pricing
-Advanced Collecting
-Buyer Beware!
-Closing Remarks
What is a Meteorite?
Most "shooting stars", or meteors, burn up in the earth's atmosphere never to be seen again. When a piece survives the trip and impacts the surface of the earth, it is known as a meteorite. Tens of thousands of meteorites have been identified and cataloged, with many winding up in museums or research institutions. Luckily for us, many wind up in the hands of collectors. Meteorite collecting can be a fascinating hobby - the specimens are interesting for their science, history, and aesthetic value. Like crystals and fossils, meteorites are a great way to bring a part of natural history into your home.
Getting Started
Great! So you're ready to get started! But not so fast... before you begin, you should educate yourself on the basics of meteorite collecting. A quick search for "meteorite " (or a link into eBay's Meteorite & Tektite category ) finds well over 1,000 results. How do you know if you're getting a good deal - or even an authentic piece at all? With prices ranging from $5 to $5,000, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Let's start by looking at inexpensive pieces.
Let's say you've decided to look for meteorites under $50. As of the time of this writing, eBay shows 851 results for "meteorite" in that price range. Including global sellers expands the list to 1001 results. This is still a lot to look through, but you'll soon learn how to spot the highlights. First, you'll notice that many of these "meteorites" aren't meteorites at all - they're meteorite impact glass or impactite. Two common types, tektites and moldavites, are often seen on eBay. While these items can be interesting for their own reasons, they're not really the focus of this guide.
The vast majority of eBay meteorite dealers are genuine and a pleasure to deal with. Some of them hunt pieces themselves, making trips all around the world in search of new inventory. Most of the big dealers attend rock shows like the annual Tucson Gem & Mineral show, where they buy material at wholesale. Organizations like the IMCA exist to promote good ethics in the meteorite community.
Types of Collecting
Before you commit to buy anything, you should browse around just to see what's out there. This will help you decide how to focus your collection. Are you interested in getting dozens of tiny pieces of various of meteorites, or would you rather just have one really big one? Are you more interested in meteorites of scientific value (such as a piece of Mars), or would you rather have meteorites of historic value (such as a piece that hit a car)? By seeing what's out there, you can get a feel for what you're drawn to. Many collectors look for modest specimens of "all of the above".
Micromounts
It shouldn't surprise you that inexpensive pieces are often smaller than expensive ones. Small collection pieces, or micromounts, are typically the size of a fingernail and usually come in plastic gem cases. Many people begin their collections this way, and some collectors never purchase any large specimens at all. If you're interested in meteorites for their science and history, then micromounts are the easiest way to amass a varied collection. They make great conversation pieces, and it's fun to have a shelf in your home with specimens that landed all around the world. Unfortunately, micromounts don't offer much in the way of aesthetic value - for that, we move on to bigger pieces.
Bigger Pieces
Although your home might not be ready for a 37-ton iron monster, you'll probably want some pieces that are bigger than gem case specimens. Every meteorite piece is unique, and as a buyer you should be aware of the different types. Since we're just getting started, we'll keep it simple: meteorites are either stone, iron, or (you guessed it) stony-iron. They are sold as individuals, slices, partslices, fragments, and endcuts. There are pros and cons to the way a specimen is prepared: individuals display the dark, melted outer surface of the meteorite (known as fusion crust), while polished slices display the interesting interior. Endcuts offer a little bit of both.
The most inexpensive meteorites on the market are stone meteorites from Northwest Africa (NWA). This is due to the large influx of pieces from the region in recent years. Many of these are classified and identified with a number (i.e. NWA 869), but some are not. A few are in pristine condition, but this is generally not the case. In fact, NWA's can be some of the most weathered meteorites on the market - with fusion crust all but gone and discoloration throughout the interior. Despite this, there are excellent finds from the NWA region. Although most collectors prefer the classified/numbered pieces, even some of the unclassified meteorites can make fine additions to a collection.
A Note on Pricing
You'll notice that meteorites are often priced "per gram". Also, as you might expect, the price per gram is usually lower when you buy in bulk. Never buy a meteorite if you do not know the weight or size! Fragments of rare meteorites, such as a piece of the Moon or Mars, are often the size of a grain of sand. This is fine, as long as you know what you're getting! High resolution scans can make a grain of sand look like a mountain, so always ask a seller first if they do not mention the mass or size. Thankfully, most dealers include an object in their photo for size comparison, such as a coin, hand, or centimeter cube.
Although mass provides a good basis for pricing, it is not the only thing to consider. The quality of specimens, even of the same meteorite fall, can vary. Most meteorites are at risk of rust, due to their iron-nickel content. A stony-iron meteorite like Brahin can be a superb quality slice ($10/g) or a jagged rust bomb ($1/g). This brings us to another issue - the cut of the piece. Meteorites, especially iron ones, are not easy to cut. When meteorite dealers slice a piece, they have to factor "cutting loss" into the price. Thinner slices are more visually appealing, because they have a larger surface area than a thick slice of equal mass. This, combined with the increased cutting loss inherent to thin slices, drives the value up.
Advanced Collecting
As your collection grows, you will undoubtedly want one or two "museum quality" pieces. As discussed already, many things can make a meteorite valuable. There are too many classifications to list (this is a beginner's guide, after all), but you will see angrites, howardites, and a variety of others that are exceedingly rare. Some of these materials are much rarer than diamond, so it is no surprise that they sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars per gram. In addition to rare classes, there is also value to be found in particularly nice specimens of common classes. Sikhote-Alin, for example, is a witnessed iron fall with some stunning individuals. Entry into the earth's atmosphere has given some pieces an oriented shape, with flow lines and even tiny impact craters on the surface.
Witnessed meteorite falls tend to be more valuable than average finds of the same class, and for good reason. When a piece is randomly found, it may have been outdoors for thousands of years. Moist areas lead to rust, and dry areas may have sandstorms that erode the piece. On the other hand, meteorites from a witnessed fall are usually recovered before much weathering can be done - and often have interesting stories. Although this is not always the case, many witnessed falls have a "fresher" appearance - making them fine additions to any collection. When a meteorite fall hits a manufactured object like a car or house, it is referred to as a "hammer"; due to the rarity of these occurrences, such pieces are significantly more valuable than an average find of the same class.
Buyer Beware!
A guide to meteorite collecting can not be complete without some warnings. As mentioned above, the majority of meteorite dealers are eBay are authentic and excellent to deal with. Many offer money-back guarantees. However, like any item on eBay, the saying "buyer beware" applies. Every day, there are fake meteorites on eBay. Some of these sellers are unaware that their rock is not a meteorite - often they are described as "I found this in my backyard and it looks like a rock from space." These auctions typically do not receive any bids. Unfortunately, some sellers are more mischievous. Earth rocks are polished, tumbled, or even burned with a blowtorch to resemble meteorites.
Over time you will learn the names of sellers you trust, and you will be able to spot the fakes immediately. Until then, here are a few pieces of advice:
- Look for sellers who mention that they are IMCA (International Meteorite Collector's Association) members. These sellers are monitored by their peers and guarantee authenticity.
- If a seller is not a member of the IMCA, look for an excellent feedback history and return policy. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, will the seller refund your money?
- For some reason, meteorites sold from China are particularly suspect. Avoid them when starting out.
- If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
- If you are not sure of something, do not bid. It's never worth the risk of losing your money.
- Use this meteorite identification guide for help spotting fakes.
I hope you've found this guide useful. Good luck with your collection! If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks go out to members of the Meteorite Central mailing list for advice.
Guide created: 09/28/07 (updated 10/03/09)
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