Do you know you could buy a meteorite? This is not a joke, a meteorite coming from Mars will be auctioned in Sotheby’s (London). This element from outer space was found in the Sahara desert, in Niger, and it has rare minerals like olivine, pyroxene and maskelynite. Too many weird names, right? But these are what increases the value of this meteorite because its composition reminds the Fukang meteorite, which was found in China and auctioned by Bonhams.
These objects, formed in the early times of the solar system, are very interesting for scientists and also collectors who are willing to pay millions of dollars for an authentic piece from space. So, let’s learn more about this meteorite.
Coming from Mars
Can you guess how much would someone pay for a meteorite coming from Mars? I know it’s a weird question, but this is going to happen in an auction where this element from space could reach the amount of $4 million. People will try to buy a special space element, it’s an authentic piece from Mars that landed on our planet Earth after it went for 36 millions of miles!
Meteorites interest and their prices
It might seem an unknown market, but there are many meteorites collectors who are willing to pay crazy amounts of money for these rock pieces from space. These rocks could be made of stone, iron, nickel or other materials found out of Earth.
The standard price of these meteorites can reach thousands and thousands of dollars, even more if their origin is rare. That’s why this one found on Mars could be higher than usual.
A great example of a peculiar auction was the sale of the Fukang meteorite, found in China in 2000. It is a pallasite, which means it’s made of a mix of iron and nickel with olivine crystals, and it’s 4.5 billion years old (almost as old as the solar system). Curious about how much was paid for this? In 2008, it was auctioned for an estimated price of $2 millions.
The NWA 16788
The new meteorite that will be auctioned is called NWA 16788 and it’s considered to be the biggest piece of Mars ever found on Earth. It weighs 54 pounds and its value could range between 2 and 4 million dollars. Currently, the last person who made an offer was willing to pay $1.6 million, but it is expected to reach a higher figure.
If you are interested in buying this meteorite, you should know the auction will be on July 16. Be smart because many collectors and space lovers will be there and focus on getting that piece from Mars.
Why is it so valuable?
In case you decide to attend the auction, you should know the real value of the meteorite. As we mentioned before, the NWA 16788 is huge, but what’s more remarkable and makes its value increase is its components:
- 21.2% of maskelynite: a natural glass formed when a rock is hit so hard that it melts and then quickly cooled, crystallizing it.
- Pyroxene and olivine: typical minerals found in volcanic rocks, which are common in planetary bodies like Mars.
Apart from its composition, another aspect that increases its value is the fact that there are only about 400 Martian meteorites worldwide, and the NWA 16788 is the biggest and rarest among them.
We don’t know who will be the owner of this space jewelry, but what we know is that this piece from space will set a new world record for a meteorite price. If you had the chance, would you go to this auction?