...for the price of a Ferrari!
http://www.chait.com/asp/fullcatalogue.asp?salelot=NH1205+++134+&refno=++133235&image=0 ..."Estimate $200,000-300,000" Cheers, Pete > Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:54:17 -0700 > From: countde...@earthlink.net > To: mexicod...@aim.com; meteoritem...@gmail.com; > meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com; meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Auction Kings meteorite - $2000 Sikhote Alin > > Hi List, > > Most auctioneers and auction bidders wouldn't be able to tell a meteorite > from a charcoal briquet. I think the rock in question sold cheap. The seller > could have put $2,000 as the reserve and those bidders would have slugged it > out to an even higher figure. Why do I say that? Because what they did proved > They didn't know market prices, so they were being motivated by mystique, the > Public misconception of value due to popular media BS... and finally...good > ole competition between each other. Seen it happen a hundred times. It will > keep happening until we screw it up by flooding the small auction houses with > meteorites and telling everyone when they have paid too much. > > And if it bothers you to see someone pay more for something than you would. > Then ask yourself...Am I upset because I could have been the seller and made > that killing? Or am I upset because somebody made a bad buy? I thought so. > > Regards, > > Count Deiro > IMCA 3536 > > > -----Original Message----- > >From: MexicoDoug <mexicod...@aim.com> > >Sent: Mar 23, 2012 12:43 PM > >To: meteoritem...@gmail.com, meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > >Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Auction Kings meteorite - $2000 Sikhote Alin > > > >Mike G wrote: > > > >"He opens it and brings out a Sikhote Alin shrapnel about the size of a > >grapefruit." > > > >"I'd guess the piece would sell on the meteorite market or eBay for > >about $250-$300. The owner's desired price of $1000 seemed unrealistic > >to me." > > > >Mike, very entertaining! I think I will start meteorite hunting on > >eBay. I sure would be easier than in the field if what this is true. > >A Sikhote the size of a grapefruit, if we use the United States > >Department of Agriculture's (USDA) definition for an average pink > >grapefruit size, is ... > > > >3.61 kg. > > > >So less eBay and paypal commissions, we must be receiving $218 for > >these Sikhote grapefruits, because we have an addiction to giving stuff > >away on eBay. ;-) > >The problem with "I caught a fish and it was *this big*" is you are > >building a story around a supposition you have made, when in fact $1000 > >may have been a reasonable offering price for the meteorite, or it may > >not have. > > > >Do you think 2.29 kg Campo for $749 is a better deal? > > > >http://www.galactic-stone.com/product/campo-del-cielo-iron-meteorite--big-centerpiece-specimen-229kg > > > >" and a bunch of people who don't know jack about meteorites" > > > >???: huh? What does an isolated sales price have to do with knowing > >about meteorites? > > > >Kindest wishes > >Doug > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Michael Gilmer <meteoritem...@gmail.com> > >To: meteorite-list <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com> > >Sent: Fri, Mar 23, 2012 10:38 am > >Subject: [meteorite-list] Auction Kings meteorite - $2000 Sikhote Alin > > > > > >Hi Folks, > > > >So last night I was going through the channel guide on cable TV and I > >saw that a show called "Auction Kings" was going to have a segment > >featuring a meteorite. I had never watched this show before, but I > >was very curious to see what type of meteorite would be shown. > > > >Apparently, the show is about a local auction house somewhere (not > >sure where). People bring in unusual items and the auction house > >sells them at open auction while the cameras follow the action. > > > >The meteorite segment came and here is where the fun begins.... > > > >This guy walks in carrying a Pelican-style case about the size of a > >camera case. He opens it and brings out a Sikhote Alin shrapnel about > >the size of a grapefruit. The meteorite had a nice patina, but the > >shape was not very interesting or sculpted. In other words, it was > >what most of us would call a "lump", but it was obvious from the > >appearance that it was a genuine Sikhote. > > > >First, the auction house guy was impressed because the meteorite had a > >certificate of authenticity. I thought this was laughable for obvious > >reasons and a man who runs an auction house should know that 99% of > >COA's are not worth the paper they are printed on. I can go outside, > >grab a rock from my driveway, and print up an official-looking COA for > >it. > > > >Next, the owner proceeds to demonstrate that the meteorite is > >"magnetic" because a magnet will stick to it and that is one of the > >key tests to determine if a meteorite is genuine. I'll skip comment > >on this misconception and use of improper terminology because the real > >kicker was still to come. > > > >So the owner tells the auction house that he is hoping to sell the > >meteorite to help pay for a vacation to Paris and he wants $1000 for > >it. > > > >Ok, at no point in the show was the weight of the specimen ever > >mentioned. So without knowing the weight, it is difficult to assign > >to solid value to the piece. But judging by what I saw (apparent size > >and shape), I'd guess the piece would sell on the meteorite market or > >eBay for about $250-$300. The owner's desired price of $1000 seemed > >unrealistic to me, but this is television and a bunch of people who > >don't know jack about meteorites, so anything is possible. > > > >The auction part comes, and they have a nice turn out with maybe two > >or three dozen potential bidders in attendance. The meteorite ignites > >a bidding war and the final price for the piece was.....(*drumroll > >please*)...... $2000! And the buyer was thrilled because he thought > >he got a good deal. Of course, once he gets home and does some > >Googling to learn more about his new meteorite, he might change his > >mind about the deal he got. He could have went on eBay and bought a > >half-dozen Sikhote shrapnels of that size for $2000. > > > >So the moral of this story is - if you have a local auction house near > >you, go down there with a meteorite and you might be pleasantly > >surprised how much money it will fetch. I'm opening up the yellow > >pages today and/or getting on the internet and see what kind of > >auction houses we have here in the Tampa area. I'll be more than > >happy to offer them all the $200 stones and irons they want, as long > >as they fetch $2000 each. Heck, even after the auction house takes > >it's percentage, that is still a great deal for the seller. > > > >And the best part is, once the buyer gets home and finds out he/she > >got burned on the price, they cannot get mad at the seller, because > >they are the ones who bid the item up. > > > >Dealers - check your local auction houses. > > > >Best regards, > > > >MikeG > > > >-- > >----------------------------------------------------------- > >Galactic Stone & Ironworks - MikeG > > > >Web: http://www.galactic-stone.com > >Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone > >Twitter: http://twitter.com/GalacticStone > >RSS: http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 > >----------------------------------------------------------- > >______________________________________________ > > > >Visit the Archives at > >http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > >Meteorite-list mailing list > >Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > >http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > > >______________________________________________ > > > >Visit the Archives at > >http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > >Meteorite-list mailing list > >Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > >http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at > http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list > ______________________________________________ Visit the Archives at http://www.meteoritecentral.com/mailing-list-archives.html Meteorite-list mailing list Meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
