I find it amazing and disheartening that a meteorite can be looked upon as no good and almost worthless. In all my years as a collector I have never seen this, and I think it's sad in a way, as the goal of making money has somehow started to supersede the enjoyment of being a meteorite hunter and collector; at least to me. Researching the meteorites, driving to location, and hunting has always been such a love of mine, whatever I find. I remember on the Meteorite Men show when they found the Alpha stones and all the excitement there... seems to diminish it a bit now. Greg S.
---------------------------------------- > Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:28:31 +0000 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] changed to: Trials and Tribulations We'll Be > living With For a While > > Why not just slice them up, flood the market with large slices to drive the > price down, that way we can ALL afford a huge slice, and give them their > 25%?? If there are that many stones floating around would that not be an > option?? That way people that have always wanted a nice big slice could > afford one. I have always been told it "was better to make a fast nickel than > a slow dime". I am sure if the price was down around .25 to .50/gr people > would be buying them like crazy. > > Stuart McD > > ---- Jason Utas wrote: > > Wouldn't the signed contracts dictate that Steve only return 25% of > > what was found? Since the agreement was 25/75 (mentioned in the > > video), the issue, it seems, could be entirely settled if Steve turned > > 25% of the finds over to the landowners. If the money's not there, it > > seems to me like that would be the quickest and easiest means of > > settling the dispute. > > Unless there's some reason for Steve to hold on to it all even though > > he can't sell it at present...that would seem to be the easiest > > solution. I see no reason not to do that, aside from the fact that > > the farmers wouldn't necessarily be getting money for their rocks. > > But since it doesn't look like they're getting any anyway, at least > > they'd have less reason to think they'd been cheated, which is clearly > > the case given what was said in the video. > > Jason > > > > > > > > On Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 8:38 AM, wrote: > > > Bill, Phil, list, > > > It sounds like you and Phil are saying the same thing. Albeit in totally > > > diligent ways. I hate to say this but many of us agree with both of you. > > > Since Picasso, tiffany's and Lindsay Lohan are not too likely to become > > > partners in this venture. The venture may indeed turn out to be a flop. > > > I said it earlier that I know Steve has tried marketing these space gems. > > > But, it sounds like what I am hearing is that time is ticking and since > > > the de Beers had two things lacking here. Mega bucks and a monopoly on > > > virtually all of the worlds diamond caches. > > > This seems to NOT be the case with Steve and his cartel. > > > By Steve's own admission the money is tight. Others are already competing > > > for sales of these gems that they possess. And nobody is buying them. > > > Who could blame them? The potential for fake stones is uncontrollable. > > > Everything on the planet is being faked today and when you can fake > > > something with as little as a piece of paper. Well, this is simply to > > > easy to fake. With trust now at the forefront, how do we know these > > > stones came from meteorites? Please. I trust Steve and know him to be > > > honest but, you cannot depend on that in the real world. > > > I feel for this whole group because as I said before they are all good > > > people but, unless De Beers bails them out or they change the game plan > > > and sell meteorites. Nothing short of a miracle is going to save this > > > venture. > > > They say in Hollywood that any press is good press so. this may be good > > > for the show but looking at the big picture. IMHO this should end as > > > quickly as possible. > > > Carl > > > Carl or Debbie Esparza > > > Meteoritemax > > > > > > > > > ---- bill kies wrote: > > >> > > >> Steve, > > >> > > >> If I'm correct, you're saying the deal was a flop and everyone has to > > >> take a gig. Disclaimers like this might help divert blame in the > > >> business world but where does this leave humble collectors with no > > >> agenda other than the desire to pick up a few space rocks when the rare > > >> opportunity presents itself? Surely you remember those days, even though > > >> you aren't a collector, as they were not all that long ago. > > >> > > >> Maybe you should return all the material you can. Try to make these > > >> people happy and live up to the respect you convinced them you were > > >> worthy of. > > >> > > >> Bill > > >> > > >> > > >> > To: [email protected]; > > >> > [email protected]; > > >> > [email protected] > > >> > From: [email protected] > > >> > Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2011 04:26:35 +0000 > > >> > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] The Trials and Tribulations in Dealing > > >> > withLando wners > > >> > > > >> > Hello List, > > >> > > > >> > Wow, what an outpouring of comments today. > > >> > > > >> > Let me bring all of you up to speed on this. > > >> > > > >> > Five years ago, I partnered with around 10 or so friends and they > > >> > combined some money, and I offered up some time and we started hunting > > >> > for meteorites together. We choose to go to a certain location in > > >> > Kansas where pallasites had been found in the past. > > >> > > > >> > We chose this location after I had my success locating some pallasite > > >> > meteorites at the Brenham strewnfield. > > >> > We got land leases to hunt, without any promise of any big money, no > > >> > talk of Millions, or thousands or even hundreds of dollars to anyone. > > >> > We just started hunting and we started finding meteorites. Some of my > > >> > friends, at least 8 of us in the group, were very connected meteorite > > >> > dealers and we decided to try to sell some of our finds, we tried and > > >> > we tried and we tried, and we sold one meteorite. We contacted > > >> > virtually all the institutions with notable meteorite collections and > > >> > none of them wanted to either buy or to trade for any of our > > >> > specimens. The one sale was made, and the land owner from where this > > >> > meteorite came from got his contracted percentage royalty, and he was > > >> > VERY pleased. It was truly money from heaven for him. > > >> > > > >> > The meteorites from this particular location have the reputation of > > >> > being the worst rusting meteorites known to man. Far worse than Campo, > > >> > Nantan, Brenham or any other "ruster" one can think of. So we could > > >> > understand why no one wanted to buy any more of this meteorite. It was > > >> > just too big of a risk for people to take. > > >> > > > >> > As we kept finding more and more meteorites, we were challenged with > > >> > the supply and demand issue. Much supply, virtually no demand. Not a > > >> > good outlook. > > >> > > > >> > Then one of the dealers in the group reminded us of the high quality > > >> > gemstones that had been faceted from the peridot in this meteorite. So > > >> > we took the specimen in the worst condition out of our inventory and > > >> > practiced trying to free up some of the olivine that was in it, and > > >> > sure enough, there were some amazing gemstones produced. > > >> > > > >> > A year and a half ago, we went to all the land owners where we had > > >> > found meteorites and told them that if we would liquidate all the > > >> > meteorites we found, we probably would only get $0.10 or $0.15 per > > >> > gram. But we felt that as gemstones, we could make more money for > > >> > everyone. > > >> > > > >> > We decided to incorporate our partnership as Palladot Inc, a Kansas > > >> > corporation, that focused on selling meteorites, mostly in gemstone > > >> > format. > > >> > I am the President, and Jason Phillips is our C.E.O.. We hired Charles > > >> > Ellias, who is a graduate gemologist with 25 years of experience in > > >> > the color gemstone market, to manage our operations, including > > >> > overseeing the faceting, grading and pricing and marketing of the > > >> > gemstones. > > >> > > > >> > Our original contract only promised the landowners that they would > > >> > earn their royalty on the "wholesale" sale of the meteorites. We told > > >> > all the land owners we wanted to pursue the gemstone market as there > > >> > was very little demand in the meteorite world for the specimens as > > >> > meteorites. It was one of the landowners that actually suggested > > >> > "pooling" all of the royalties together, so we wouldn't have to melt > > >> > down every meteorite, and this way all the landowners could still > > >> > share proportionately by their contribution in the profits. > > >> > > > >> > It was at that point, that in the spirit of full discloser, we > > >> > explained how the gemstone market gave us the best up-side potential > > >> > for earnings. If a market could be built for these most amazing and > > >> > rare gemstones with a fascinating story, then we would have the supply > > >> > to fill the demand created. And yes, IF there would be millions of > > >> > dollars of demand created, we would have millions of dollars of gems. > > >> > > > >> > All of the land owners, except for one, agreed to pool their royalty > > >> > interest together and join us in the gem market. > > >> > The one landowner that didn't want to go to the gem business with us, > > >> > was happy to take his portion "in kind" and we gave him his > > >> > meteorites. All the others signed a new agreement that pooled their > > >> > royalties together. > > >> > > > >> > One year ago this month, we started selling Palldot Pallasitic Peridot > > >> > gemstones at the Tucson show (specificially at the Pueblo Show at the > > >> > Executive Inn.) It seems we chose the worst year, economically > > >> > speaking, since the Great Depression to start a business...not to > > >> > mention, a business in the luxury jewelry market. > > >> > But we still made some sales, and our business is growing. > > >> > > > >> > Now, back a year and a half ago, the deal we made was that we would > > >> > share the royalty to the landowners based on the retail profits rather > > >> > than on the wholesale sales. The landowner who was featured in this > > >> > local TV story we are all talking about, actually had his attorney > > >> > look over the new pooling agreement. In fact, his attorney made some > > >> > suggestions to alter it, and we agreed to his suggested changes. > > >> > > > >> > There NEVER was any promise of "getting rich quick." Never. Getting > > >> > rich over time...maybe, if we played our cards right. > > >> > > > >> > But we did state that the sale of just a few gemstones could yield > > >> > more money than the whole meteorite could fetch on its own. > > >> > > > >> > So, for the last several months, this one landowner has been trying to > > >> > get Jason and me to "alter his contract." If it were just a matter of > > >> > making him happy, there wouldn't be a problem. BUT there are ALL the > > >> > other landowners that we are in binding contracts with. We would make > > >> > the others very mad if we gave into this one man's demands at their > > >> > expense. > > >> > > > >> > Of course, if we were in breach of contract, there would be legal > > >> > remedies this man could take. But we aren't in breach of the contract > > >> > so he chose to threaten us with going to the investigative reporter at > > >> > a TV station with his story. We discussed some options that we could > > >> > offer him, and still keep the other land owners happy, but they were > > >> > not what he wanted, so he went to the reporter anyway. > > >> > > > >> > At the start, I think the reporter thought there was this huge story, > > >> > but I spent nearly two hours of interviews with her, and when she > > >> > heard my side, the only thing she had left for her story was that this > > >> > one landowner was "not happy" that he hadn't seen any profits yet. > > >> > > > >> > Well, I am "not happy" that we haven't seen any profits either! > > >> > > > >> > But we are doing the best we can. > > >> > > > >> > We are making sales, and when there are profits, the stockholders will > > >> > get dividends and the landowners will get royalties. > > >> > > > >> > We have invested over $100,000 and somewhere north of 3,000 man hours > > >> > into this one project. This landowner has invested zero dollars, and > > >> > zero hours. There are a lot of other people that have far more > > >> > invested, and we ALL want to see a return. He will be entitled to his > > >> > share when profits are generated just as he agreed to a year and a > > >> > half ago. > > >> > > > >> > Now, let me also remind you that news reporters don't care about > > >> > telling the whole story. They only had a few minutes for the segment, > > >> > and while I share all of this with the reporter, she (and her editors) > > >> > decided to run the story for ratings purposes. Because, everyone I > > >> > have talked to said this really is a "non-story." Millions of people > > >> > everyday are not happy with contracts they entered into in the past. > > >> > It isn't news. Nowhere in the contract does it say that each landowner > > >> > "has to be happy." In fact, that is why you have contracts, because, > > >> > inevitably, people often become less than happy with the deals they > > >> > struck over time. > > >> > > > >> > Meanwhile, we have an obligation to our shareholders, and to the > > >> > landowners to press on and do our best to make all of us as much money > > >> > as we can. It might be sad if what we are doing was hurting science, > > >> > but to be honest, if there wasn't the potential for profit with the > > >> > gemstones, we would have quit hunting a long time ago, and a lot of > > >> > these rocks would still be underground rusting away anyway. > > >> > > > >> > I know this explanation won't make everyone happy, but I have learned > > >> > a long time ago that it isn't my job to make everyone happy. > > >> > > > >> > I just do the best I can with the hand I am dealt. > > >> > > > >> > Feel free to contact me off the list if you have any further questions. > > >> > > > >> > Steve Arnold > > >> > President, Palladot Inc > > >> > Co-Host Meteorite Men > > >> > ArnoldMeteorites.com > > >> > > > >> > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry > > >> > ______________________________________________ > > >> > Visit the Archives at > > >> > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > > >> > Meteorite-list mailing list > > >> > [email protected] > > >> > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > >> ______________________________________________ > > >> Visit the Archives at > > >> http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > > >> Meteorite-list mailing list > > >> [email protected] > > >> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > > ______________________________________________ > > > Visit the Archives at > > > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > > > Meteorite-list mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > > > > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at > > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > > Meteorite-list mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > -- > Stuart McDaniel > Lawndale, NC > ______________________________________________ > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
