Christopher, Ebay takes a little different view of meteorites. They are an item that is open to some speculation. It is difficult to contradict a seller who is representing something as a meteorite. I have and many others on this list have on countless occasions brought obvious "meteorwrongs" to the attention of Ebays staff. In my experiences doing this, UNLESS I have some tangible proof, some very distinct way to prove that it is not REAL, Ebay tends to reply that the listing falls within their guidelines and it is up to the person that wins to KNOW what it is they are buying. In other words they will not stop anything that someone claims to be a meteorite unless you can PROVE otherwise. I have seen coprolites, Iron Concretions, Hematite, and a myriad of other substances represented as the "real" thing, easily identified as not real allowed. The only time I have ever been sucessful was when the MIR returned to Earth. A couple of people offered items they claimed to have retrieved from the ocean. I think I was sucessfull only because of the way the seller said the item was collected, stating they pulled it from the ocean shortly after it splashed down. I pointed out to Ebay that even the Space Agency had no idea exactly where it would hit, and that the metal items that were for sale would not have been floating at the surface long enough for anyone to have used a dip net to collect them. In the case of Challenger items, I hope that Ebay would have had the common decency, and good sense to know that the items were illegal from the moment it exploded. I would hate to think that anyone would ever be allowed to profit from the loss of our Heros, though I am sure that some of the debris is probably in the hands of private collectors. We have had various debates and attempts to organize this group/a group to help combat the sale of meteorwrongs on Ebay. We are walking a fine line, as without scientific analysis of any sample it is tough for any of us, no matter how sure we are that the item is a fake, to prove otherwise without buying the item. Ebay has to be very careful also. If you read their statement in the user agreement, they will not/do not endorse any items, they are simply providing the means/forum for auctions. They have a specific list of items they do not allow for various reasons to protect that forum.
If this person that you speak of has any tips on how to help us, I am sure he would be welcome here with open arms, but simply writing Ebay and saying that a Meteorite is not real, has not worked. My 2 cents worth... Mark M. #5524 (if we are still using that?) ----- Original Message ----- From: Christopher J. Faranetta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: gheri fouts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, December 28, 2001 1:13 PM Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Roswell "meteorite" > I am new to this list and much more experienced at collecting manned space > memorabilia than meteorites although, I find meteorites more interesting. I > think it is very important that a qualified meteorite dealer or collector > take it upon themselves to police Ebay for false or misleading claims > concerning the sale of meteorites. A well known space memorabilia > collector/dealer does the same thing for manned space items on Ebay and his > actions were very welcome by the Ebay staff. In fact he helped remove a > listing that was selling pieces of the Space Shuttle Challenger which is a > U.S. Federal offense. > > I hope that any person or persons with an informed and or vested interest in > collecting meteorites will call or email Ebay when they see an obvious > problem. > > Best, > > Chris Faranetta > -----Original Message----- > From: gheri fouts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Friday, December 28, 2001 1:19 PM > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Roswell "meteorite" > > > >But should we blame Ebay? The alternative is that Ebay reject all > meteorite > >auctions, because they are not going to staff a specialist for meteorites > >just to keep unscrupulous sellers away. We have a list like this and maybe > >an association of collectors to give a buyer every opportunity to get to > >know the product and buy wisely. But loosing the opportunity of selling on > >Ebay would be a great loss, from both the buyer and seller viewpoint. > > > >Gheri > > > >"all science is either physics or stamp collecting" > >-- Ernest (1st Baron) Rutherford > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Dave Harris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: metlist <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Friday, December 28, 2001 7:11 AM > >Subject: [meteorite-list] Roswell "meteorite" > > > > > >> ...and I too emailed the seller and got no reply. > >> "Caveat Emptor" has never been more applicable. > >> Now, having said that... > >> I have a meteorite for sale here, now I know it LOOKS like a brick, and > >has > >> regmaglypts on it that say "London Brick Foundry" but that's only > >> coincidental as my dad found it 50 years ago on a building site and he > >> swears he got it just after it landed and was still warm.... > >> Starting bids at $100 (low reserve, of course) > >> > >> ;-) > >> > >> Maybe we should start guerrilla auctions - put any old rubbish on eBay > and > >> flog it as something it obviously is not! When eBay get ratty with us we > >say > >> " Ah hah! See? now you know what it's like for people who buy space rocks > >in > >> good faith and then get screwed!) > >> > >> Ooops, my passion's rising - time to tail off. > >> -- > >> In gentle decay, > >> dave > >> > >> http://www.meteorites.ic24.net/index.html > >> > >> http://www.thc.u-net.com/davethc1.htm > >> > >> > >> "I have a proof that x^n+y^n=z^n never has integer solutions for n>2. > >> However, it won't fit into my signature file...." > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Show your support at the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund - > >http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PKAXFNQH7EKCX/058-5084202-7 > 1 > >56648 > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Meteorite-list mailing list > >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > >> > > > > > >Show your support at the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund - > http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PKAXFNQH7EKCX/058-5084202-71 > 56648 > >_______________________________________________ > >Meteorite-list mailing list > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > > Show your support at the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund - http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PKAXFNQH7EKCX/058-5084202-71 56648 > _______________________________________________ > Meteorite-list mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list Show your support at the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund - http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PKAXFNQH7EKCX/058-5084202-7156648 _______________________________________________ Meteorite-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
