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Author
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Topic: 224463018726: Mars meteorite dust vial
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Ianhetho
Member Posts: 235
From: Bogangar NSW Australia
Registered: May 2018
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posted 05-20-2021 12:02 PM
   
I found this on Mars meteorite dust vial on eBay. Thoughts? A sterile vial contains 1/10 carat of pharmaceutically milled particles of the Zagami Martian meteorite suspended in a Lucite cube. The sample from which these Zagami particles are derived was studied by NASA.This lot is accompanied by a twenty page "Mars Owner’s Manual."  |
hbw60
Member Posts: 242
From:
Registered: Aug 2018
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posted 05-20-2021 12:16 PM
I'm not a meteorite expert, so I can't comment on authenticity. But regardless of the authenticity, that price seems extremely high for such a small fragment. If you do a search for "mars meteorite" or "martian meteorite", you'll find similar fragments at a much better price.And this is just my personal preference, but I find the presentation of this one to be a bit strange. I've never seen a vial encased in lucite/acrylic like that. It would have been more visible if they'd simply encased the fragment alone. I think they were trying to make it look larger by double-encasing it. It's definitely not a bad piece, if it's authentic. But if I were in the market for a piece of Mars, I'd either buy a more inexpensive fragment, or use the $900 to buy a much larger fragment than this one. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 47770
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-20-2021 12:32 PM
I have one of these from when it was first offered in 1997. At the time, Mars meteorite samples were harder to come by, so even a tiny amount was viewed as a rare opportunity to own a piece of Mars. The contents are actually dust, not a fragment, so the vial allows the dust to move back and forth inside the acrylic. It is a neat display. As for the asking price, Christie's has auctioned a few of these in recent years. In 2019, one sold for $1,625. In February (2021), another sold for $6,000. I'm not saying those auction results are typical and I certainly don't view my own example as that valuable, but it does show the interest in these still exists. |
Dave_Johnson
Member Posts: 138
From:
Registered: Feb 2014
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posted 05-20-2021 04:05 PM
Definitely an odd description for the meteorite. Meteorites sizes are usually described in terms of grams. The only time I've seen carats used, is in descriptions for tektite-type of items, derived from meteorite impacts (such as Libyan desert glass, or Moldavites). An online conversion shows 1/10 of a carat to be equivalent to .02 grams. As for it being dust, I'm not sure what "pharmaceutically milled" means in this regard. Usually dust of this type is derived from cutting of a larger meteorite using an appropriate saw — the meteoritical equivalent of sawdust. You can get a better deal for an actual Zagami fragment vs. cuttings, for $75 + shipping, in this eBay "Buy it Now" auction. While not as visually appealing as the lucite, you could actually handle the fragment (carefully) and examine it under magnification. Not sure that the supposed NASA affiliation is worth an additional $800. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3177
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 05-21-2021 08:54 AM
It's true that these were initially released at a time when Martain meteorite material was selling at a premium but even then it was still a triumph of marketing and presentation over intrinsic value.A 'limited edition' of 12,000 units may have been the first clue that this was not exactly an exclusive offer. I'm not sure that many units were actually sold but it was most likely a way to market cutting dust produced from slicing the meteorite itself. The 20 milligrams of dust in the lucite may have been worth around $15 at the time these were launched, with the lucites being offered at $98 each. With inflation that $98 is equivalent to around $163 today but Martian meteorite prices have dropped significantly. Those 20mg of dust might be worth maybe $5 or $6 today. So, a nice presentation, but in terms of intrinsic value the lucite cube, pamphlets, and box would certainly cost much more to produce today than the value of the dust inside. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 47770
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-21-2021 09:13 AM
quote:
Originally posted by spaced out:
...most likely a way to market cutting dust produced from slicing the meteorite itself.
Exactly, they were upfront about that and, in fact, that was a selling point. The meteorite was needed for study, but the dust from cutting into it would have been discarded unless it was used for these lucites. That back story made the offer more alluring, at least to me, as it went from just being a piece of a rock to a discard from a NASA study. (Not unlike the difference between a random sample of MLI and a scrap of MLI leftover from from covering a spacecraft.) |
jacobsaunders
Member Posts: 26
From: United States
Registered: Feb 2021
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posted 01-31-2022 05:07 PM
I know there has been back and forth both here and on Facebook on the "Mars Cube" launched in 1997 on QVC. They've sold for anywhere up to $6,000 (Christie's) but since Zagami Martian meteorite material is much less rare these days it's my understanding that they're considered much less valuable. That said, I think I may really have just gotten an absurd steal. I purchased this item on eBay, and down to the anodized vial cap and the tiny bit of gray powder I'll eat the thing if it isn't a Mars cube. It is marked "made in Canada" which is a clue. Obviously it came without papers, the seller clearly didn't know what it is. Does anyone have one of these for comparison? Does this appear the be the real thing? Interested in any opinions or advice! Editor's note: Threads merged. | |
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