Blaine Reed Meteorites for Sale- List 273 19SEP2024

Blaine Reed Meteorites
P.O. Box 1141, Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
brmeteorites@yahoo.com
LIST 273 - September 2024

Dear Collectors
I am back from the shortened (for me) Denver show. It was, not surprisingly, fairly slow as far as people visiting was concerned. It was also relatively slow as far as sales went, but not horribly so (certainly not as bad as I feared it might be). The folks that did show up seemed willing to spend money once they had made the, difficult at times, trek down I-25 through the heart of Denver to see us. Sales down, yes BUT I was only set up for 5 days (half the normal length of the show). Would I have sold as much as a “normal” show if we were able to stay set up - ? no idea. Just know that I am happy to have sold as well as I did (but I still was better at spending than selling – as usual). I did get a number of calls from people that did not get the message that we had moved. A number of people called me from the now weed-filled parking lot of the Crowne Plaza wondering where I was. Unfortunately, I got those calls after I had already packed up and left town (one guy wanted to “come see me”. He wanted to simply hop in his car and come visit me at home. Once I let him know that I was a 6 hour drive away (12 hours for someone coming from Denver and then going back to catch a flight) he decided to see me in Tucson).

I already have info on next year’s show timing and location. We will be at the Delta Hotel by Marriott Denver Northglenn (10 E. 120th Ave). We will be able to have our normal length show (though having a 5 day show this year was kind of nice. Some of these events are getting waaaay to long). We are scheduled to be open from September 5th through the 13th. I was NOT able to get a semi-private meeting room like I had at the Crowne Plaza (and at this year’s show) as one really didn’t exist in the layout of the new venue. I was able to get a ground floor room though. I plan to have the furniture emptied out, hoping to recreate the open feel (that seems to invite people to hang around more) that those meeting rooms had the best I can.

I do have a couple large trips I need to do this fall. These are not set in stone at this point. I am thinking the bigger of the two will be towards the later part of October (certainly after sales and responses to the offering have died down). So, if possible, let me know if there is something you are interested in on this list (even if you just need it “set aside” to buy from me later) before the middle of October.


A note concerning the photos in this offering:
I want everyone receiving this post with imbedded group photos of the items on this list to know that the item pictured MAY NOT be the identical item you receive (except for cases where I have clearly labeled an item as “the only one this size” or similar). I usually have (and sell) multiple pieces of each size of the items listed (sometimes MANY of them – far to many to put all in a photograph for people to pick from). What I normally do is send the first person that asks for a particular item the largest piece available in whatever size range it is that the specimen they are buying belongs to (when I send a piece that is not in the photo, you generally get a very similar but slightly larger piece). This came about as MOST of my sales from these periodic larger catalogs come from the paper mailed version of this offering where no photos exist so customers don’t know exactly what the piece they ordered looks like (and are usually quite happy to receive a slightly larger specimen instead). So, you can certainly request the exact item in the group photo and I am happy to send it if someone else hasn’t already requested it. Please let me know if you would likely ONLY be happy with receiving that actual pictured piece(s) and I will NOT do any substitution(s) in your order.



TOLUCA, Mexico: Iron. Coarse octahedrite (IA). Found 1776.
This is one of the classic “historic” meteorites. It was first recognized in 1776. Prior to that though, people had been finding and forging pieces of this meteorite into agricultural equipment for many, many years. This stuff used to be readily available. I haven’t seen much of it at all in recent years and even less as cut and etched pieces. Though this is a “coarse” octahedrite it has a much more “medium” octahedrite etch look to it. Nice uniform bands in a nice uniform texture (many “coarse” octahedrites have kind of a mess going for their etch structure). I got these in Tucson this year. I don’t have much of it and have no idea when/ where I might be able to get more.
1) Etched part slices:
a) 10.4 grams - 9mm x 18mm x 4mm - $35
b) 18.7 grams - 35mm x 23mm x 3mm - $62
c) 35.1 grams - 40mm x 31mm x 3mm - $110
d) 55.9 grams - 59mm x 48mm x 3mm - $170




COFFEYVILLE, Kansas: Ordinary chondrite. (H5). Found2006. Tkw = 35.9kg.
A single stone was found by a racecar driver driving (presumably racing) on his property. He and his wife were nearly tossed off/out of the vehicle they were riding when they hit an odd looking large rock. They realized it was very different from the usual light colored weathered limestones of the area. It did not take them long to realize they might have found a meteorite. However, it did take 3 years before they finally had it looked at, confirmed and classified. There is, to be honest, nothing really exciting about this stone (it is just a typical fairly weathered H5 that shows plenty of light colored chondrules in a medium brown matrix) other than it is a really affordable example of a named (and US no less) meteorite. I don’t get many named meteorites (and few US ones) these days and few are remotely affordable.
1) Slices:
a) 10.2 grams - 35mm x 22mm x 5mm - $25
b) 20.5 grams - 40mm x 40mm x 5mm - $50
c) 33.1 grams - 58mm x 45mm x 5mm - $75
d) 72.7 grams - 70mm x 60mm x 6mm - $150
e) 144.0 grams - 110mm x 85mm x 5mm - $275



NWA (7181): Ordinary chondrite. (L3.5). Found 2011. Tkw = 543 grams.
This was a single stone that Matt Morgan picked up 10 years ago at the Denver show. He got it studied and then it sat in a drawer for nearly 10 years until I picked it up from him during the 2021 Denver Spring show. This has lots of gray chondrules hiding in a darker gray matrix. There are some lighter, more brown colored breccia fragments visible in some of the larger pieces. Not super exciting to look at BUT in preparing this meteorite for sale, I found L3.5s are surprisingly rare. As of July 2021, only 12 are known from outside of Antarctica! There is only ONE named stone (Ioka, Utah being the largest ever recorded at 31.5kg). Two from Oman (totaling 3656 grams) and 9 NWA finds (totaling 3509 grams INCLUDING this stone!). So, a surprisingly rarer item than I would have ever thought or expected.Slices: a) 2.5 grams - 25mm x 10mm x 3mm - $15
b) 5.4 grams - 30mm x 18mm x 4mm - $30
c) 9.4 grams - 40mm x 28mm x 3mm - $50
d) 20.2 grams - 47mm x 35mm x 4mm - $100
e) 44.6 grams - 70mm x 54mm x 4mm - $210 – complete slice.
2) 84.9 gram end piece/ Main Mass – 70mm x 45mm x 12mm - $380.00 - possible sale pending




NWA (16087): HED achondrite. (Howardite). Found 2023. Tkw 7450 grams.
Here is a howardite that could pass (or get mistaken for) Kapoeta if one were not careful. This is super fresh internally. It has lots of nice clasts of various colors and sizes in a really light gray matrix. These clasts are Diogenite (14%), Cumulate eucrite (28%) and Basaltic eucrite (57%) along with minor amounts of chromite, ilmenite and magnetite. A really “classic” howardite example and at a reasonable price.
1) Slices:
a) 2.0 grams - 15mm x 14mm x 4mm - $22
b) 3.9 grams - 34mm x 15mm x 4mm - $40
c) 7.8 grams - 45mm x 17mm x 4mm - $80
d) 16.3 grams - 55mm x 45mm x 3mm - $160
e) 30.9 grams - 75mm x 60mm x 3mm - $295
f) 55.4 grams - 110mm x 75mm x 3mm - $500 – possible sale pending




NWA (4576): Stony-iron (Mesosiderite). Found Jan. 2005. Tkw = 30kg.
Here are some slices of a really nice mesosiderite I picked up while in Tucson this year. These were all largish square/ rectangular pieces. I cut a number of these down (hated to – they were really nice as larger pieces) to pieces affordable for most collectors. There really isn’t any info on this meteorite out there, so I don’t really have any “interesting info” on this. Regardless, this is a really wonderful, classic mesosiderite example. It has LOTS of metal, nice rounded (cm or so sized) lithic clasts and the occasional round metal-rich nodule. I can say that mesosiderites (particularly nice ones) are quite a bit harder to come by then pallasites in the collecting world.
1) Part slices:
a) 4.0 grams - 20mm x 13mm x 3mm - $50
b) 8.0 grams - 23mm x 22mm x 3mm - $90
c) 14.8 grams - 32mm x 27mm x 4mm - $150
d) 25.7 grams - 42mm x 26mm x 5mm - $250
e) 53.2 grams - 54mm x 47mm x 5mm - $500
f) 108.2 grams - 88mm x 58mm x 5mm - $1000




BHUTAN: 3-D space themed stamps.
I hesitated to offer these as I have so few of them. But then, never offering them means, they will simply sit here getting older. I got them when it turned out that there was a stamp convention next door to the watch convention I was attending. I stumbled onto these by pure accident. I thought they were kind of neat. They have that ridged plastic coating that gives them a 3-D effect (quite well, actually). As a kid I liked the football and baseball cards that were this form (those, for me anyway, were quite scarce). These, actually, are every bit as old, or older, than those cards I desired back then (early 1970s). This quite surprised me. When I got these (7 or 8 years ago maybe). I thought that these were basically really modern. What little research I have done on them shows that they are actually from around 1967 to around 1970. These are an assortment of “types” (some space craft, some astronauts in space, on the moon and some clearly Apollo) but all are space themed (and, I believe, were part of a “Man’s Conquest of Space” series). Not particularly rare or valuable, but interesting and fun (wish I could have gotten more).

a) Astronauts in space: 4 piece set - $20.00 (I have only 3 sets available).
b) Apollo on way to Moon (command module/ Lander connected). 2 piece set - $10.00 (I have only 3 sets).
c) Astronauts on the Moon. 3 piece set - $15.00(I have only 2 of these).
d) 1970 assortment of 4 space scenes (galaxy, “earth rise” from moon, etc.) - $20.00 (only 1 available)\
e) 1970 5 older space craft (V2, Mercury capsule, Verne’s, etc) - $25.00 (only 1 set available)
f) Apollo launch (2) and capsule recovery after splashdown (1) - $15.00 (only 1 set available).


Shipping: For small US orders (things that fit in a jewelry box in a padded envelope) - $5 is still OK (for now).
Larger things will be around $10 (small priority flat rate box, smallish "private" type box) to around $18 (medium flat-rate box). Insurance is extra if desired (I’ll look it up for you if think you want this cost ahead of shipping the item(s)).

Overseas prices have gone up A LOT the past couple years. Now small overseas orders are around $18 (Canada seems to be right around $15) for a small jewelry box in a padded envelope. Most overseas small flat-rare prices are in the $45 range (!!!!). I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders. These rates change rapidly (I think we have already had two increases this year) so I'll have to custom quote things that are larger/heavier. Registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is $18 more with insurance being extra (though there are fairly low limits of insurance allowed to many destinations).

Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 228

Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487

LIST 228
July 23, 2019

  Well, summer has certainly arrived here. We had a fairly nice, mild (and damp) spring this year. In fact, I actually spent the 4th of July up at A-Basin ski area skiing! It is a rare year that they get to sty open for the 4th (I think it was around 8 or 9 years ago that they last pulled it off). Normally, we break 100 by the end of May. This year we made it all the way into July before seeing or first 100 degree day (it was just over 102 about a week and a half ago). Right now, we are getting the full sun hot treatment usually reserved for June. We have been right at (or slightly above) 100 for the past week. Supposedly, we have some rain (and very slightly cooler temps – but still solidly in the mid 90s or higher) coming later this week.

Anyway, here is a summer offering of a few things I found sitting in the “new” or “rediscovered” pile. Looking at the group photo, I see that the structure of the Zagora didn't turn out. I'll try and get a better picture of this (so the silicates at least show) if anyone does end up being interested in this piece.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE.
Blaine Reed Meteorite List 228

FRANCONIA, Arizona: Ordinary chondrite (H5). Found 2002. Tkw = about 100 kilogram.
This is a mostly natural, as found fragment/ partial individual. It shows fusion crust on around 50% of the surface. The remainder of the stone is in the form of two relatively flat ancient breaks. Despite the obvious (to me and likely to most other meteorite collectors anyway) fusion crust, it seems the finder (or someone that they gave it to) ground down a bit of one of the flat break surfaces to show fresh metal, likely to prove that this was indeed a meteorite. I believe that this was a Linton Rohr piece but I did not find a Rohr collection label to go with it when I picked up this (and other) piece back before this year’s Tucson show.
16.3 gram natural fragment with crust – 25mm x 22mm x 18mm - $25

MOLDAVITE:
This is a selection of 10 really nice small complete specimens (I don’t see any fresh fracture surfaces on any of these) that I picked up in a trade in Tucson this past February. These are mostly elongate, quasi-teardrop shaped that measure around 20mm to 25mm long. These are in an 8cm x 5.5cm plastic display box.
10 nice individuals. 6.5 grams total in display box - $50 SOLD OUT

NWA (1950): Martian (Shergottite), Iherzoltitc. Found January and March 2001. Tkw = 812 grams.
This has two different find dates as two different paired stones were found (one in each month). This is a “peridotitic” cumulate that is mostly olivine (55%), pyroxenes (35%) and plagioclase. This is indeed an interesting looking meteorite. These pieces show dark (dark gray to black) angular to sub-angular crystals (the olivine I think) in a light green matrix. It seems there is a reason that this does not look “typical” to me. It seems that it really isn’t. From a little poking around I see information that seems to be saying that this is the ONLY Iherzolitic shegottite available to collectors. The others are, supposedly, all from Antarctica and more weathered. Not sure how true this is, but it does show that this is something far more interesting than just a shegottite. This “lot” consists of pieces that I think are leftovers or broken off of larger pieces while cutting and polishing. There are two large pieces (one slice and one end piece/ cut fragment) that are around 8mm to 10mm in size, one medium sized slice (around 5mm or so across) and some small (around 2-3mm) fragments (around 5 pieces). The three large pieces each have fusion crust along a decent part of their edges. These are in a 7cm by 6cm glass fronted plastic display box. I have priced this considerably lower than the few prices I could find for this material elsewhere (which were around $1k to $2k/ gram).
.87 grams of slices and fragments in display box - $500

NWA (6903): Iron. Medium octahedrite (IIIAB). Found 2008. Tkw = 50 kilograms.
This is a small piece of a nice medium octahedrite that I offered (and sold out of) on a mailed list some time ago. This particular piece got misplaced somehow or it too would likely have been sold back then. This is a rectangular specimen with one small natural (but highly cleaned) edge and is etched on both sides. I had this priced at $4/g when I originally offered it on my list but I am pricing it a bit cheaper here to “get it out of inventory” (so I no longer have to keep track of it as a separate inventory item) and give someone a fairly good middle of summer deal.
16.6 gram etched part slice – 32mm x 14mm x 4mm - $50

NWA (8179): Achondrite. (Ureilite). Found 2013. Tkw = 245 grams.
This is interesting stuff. It certainly does not look like a typical ureilte. It seems that the research work on it also showed that this is indeed not a typical ureilite. The research description says that this is a “relatively coarse-grained, protogranular aggregate of predominantly olivine (with reduced rims containing stained Fe metal) accompanied by minor orthopyroxene and pigionite”. It seems that (aside from its strange texture) that this is unusual in that it does contain orthopyroxene in addition the usual pigionitic pyroxene found in ureilites. The appearance of this is a mottled mix of light tan (nearly white in some spots) to medium brown matrix that has a lot of really fine brown veins running through it. I am not certain if these are shock related (this meteorite is listed as “moderate” in shock level) or from weathering of fresh metal (some of which is visible in this piece along one edge. An interesting specimen (that is a complete slice of a fragment) that is in a 7cm x 6cm glass fronted display case.
6.3 gram complete slice – 40mm x 25mm x 2mm - $175

TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1776.
I have always found it odd that this meteorite is called a “coarse” octahedrite. Most of the etched pieces I have ever seen (and that includes this one) show more of a really nice medium octahedrite etch. This is a part slice that is etched on both sides. It, overall, is roughly square in shape and has one natural edge (the 3 others are cut edges). Other than showing a nice etch, this slice also has a couple (roughly 10mm to 15mm sized) troilite surrounded by graphite inclusions. A nice etched slice of a meteorite that I have seen very little of in recent years.
56.1 gram etched part slice – 45mm x 42mm x 4mm - $110

ZAGORA, Morocco: Iron. (IAB) with silicate inclusions. Found 1987. Tkw = 20+ kilograms.
This is a fairly thick part slice that I picked up from a collector who was letting go of a few items from his collection. He was not sure of the ID on this. He had not written down the name, assuming he’d always remember it (like I do sometimes) and then didn’t (also something I am guilty of). However, he had notes showing that he got this over 20 years ago. Well, pretty much the only silicated irons available back then were Zagore and (occasionally) Udei Station. This certainly looks like Zagora and the XRF tends to support this. Also, the thick cut was certainly something not uncommon back then for this material either. This has two cut edges with the remainder (a bit over 50% of the edge) being natural.
24.7 gram part slice – 25mm x 20mm x 7mm - $125

Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 183 - Pena Blanca and more

Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 183 - Pena Blanca and more

Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487

…………………………………………………..LIST 183
December 29, 2015

Dear collectors,
Here is a short offering for the end of the year.

BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found October 30, 2005.
I know, the real reported find date for this meteorite is 1882 but this particular piece is an etched slice that was cut from a 69kg all iron individual that was found on the date listed above. The info card with it (which is one I made – this piece was sold be me at some point in the past and now came back as part of a small collection lot) says that this was found on the Allen and Mary Binford farm and gives the precise GPS coordinates for the find spot (so, one could probably visit the hole that this was pulled out of if one was so inclined). This is a typical part slice that is roughly square in shape. It has three cut edges and one natural edge.
74.1 gram etched part slice – 50mm x 50mm x 4mm - $130

PENA BLANCA SPRING, Texas: Enstatite achondrite (Aubrite). Fell August 2, 1946. Tkw = 70.4kg.
This is the famous meteorite that managed to land directly in a small natural pond. The fall was witnessed to some degree by a couple dozen people. A cook at a near by ranch house saw the stone break branches of a tree it passed through and then its impact into the pond. A couple ranch hands driving by the pond in a truck heard a load explosion and then had their truck splashed with water and plant debris. Later work to lower the level of the water in the pond allowed the recovery of several large fragments of this interesting and rare meteorite. These pieces are nice small to medium part slices that all show at least some of the fantastic breccia texture displayed by this meteorite (I personally like the 5.3g piece best myself as it shows a neat slightly darker 20mm x 12mm clast), but they are all nice. I have always loved the look (and rarity) of this stuff. It has been quite a long while since I have had pieces of this beautiful material.
1) Part slices:
a) .79 grams – 14mm x 8mm x 4mm - $65
b) 1.25 grams – 17mm x 8mm x 4mm - $100
c) 2.47 grams – 21mm x 19mm x 3mm - $190
d) 5.30 grams – 26mm x 26mm x 3mm - $400
e) 15.36 grams – 50mm x 33mm x 3.5mm - $1100

SACRAMENTO WASH (005), Arizona. Iron (ungrouped, troilite rich). Found 2004.
I have heard of and seen some pieces of this over the years but I have never had any pieces to sell. This is reported in the bulletin as a separate meteorite but I don’t know if it has ever been fully sorted out if these are really just chunks of iron that separated out from pieces of the Frankonia stone meteorite. This metal is chemically H-type metal (which is the type meteorite Frankonia is which did indeed have some fairly large metal pieces in it). However, attached h-type silicates have not been found attached to these iron pieces and some clearly showed fusion crust (and most pieces have an atmospherically sculpted shape). Regardless, this material is reported as a new/ separate meteorite and very little/ few pieces have been available.
a) .41 gram individual – 15mm x 7mm x 1mm - $20
b) 1.07 gram individual – 9mm x 8mm x 5mm - $40 – this one is in a membrane box and comes with a L. Atkins collection label.

SPRINGWATER, Canada: (Pallasite). Found 1931.
Here is a fantastic, beautiful thin complete slice. This is cut thin enough that many of the crystals pass light (not so easy to get in this meteorite due to its generally smaller olivine crystal size). This piece has NOT been through the “special rust treatment” I mentioned on the small pieces listed earlier. This is partly because to do so would risk having the thing break apart in the process but mostly because this piece has shown itself over the past 3.5 years or so to be stable on its own already. It was stored/ displayed with out any special care in a fairly humid environment (West Virginia) and has held up beautifully. Another really neat feature of this large slice is that its Ferringtonite inclusions, a VERY rare magnesium Phosphate mineral that seems to be only known from meteorites. One is bright, obvious and is about 10mm x 30mm. There are several others that are darker near the edges of the slice. A few other pallasites are noted for having some of this mineral discovered in them but Springwater has by far the best and is the “type locality” for the stuff. I know a few mineral collectors who would probably like me to break this thing apart so they can add a piece of this odd mineral to their collections. I have pictures of this piece in the computer ready to send to those interested.
a) 306.4 gram complete slice – 280mm x 150mm x 2mm - $5500 – has several Ferrigtonite inclusions.

TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1776.
This is a bag of fragments of both oxide and metal (more metal than oxide I think). Some of the larger pieces (thumb-nail sized plus) are metal and have a polished and etched face.
14.5 grams of metal and oxide fragments - $7

Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 166 - New also mailed offering

Blaine Reed Meteorites For Sale- List 166 - New also mailed offering

Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
……………………………………………………………..LIST 166

January 6, 2015

Happy New Year! Here is the e-mail version of my recent mailed list.

Tucson show info: I will be gone from January 27th through about February 18th (yep, this show has me on the road for far too loooong). For the show dates I am at my usual spot – Room 134 of Ramada Limited (665 N. Freeway for those with GPS). I should have my room open mid-morning of January 31st. At this point, I plan on staying for the bitter end – February 14th (I have found that I generally do quite well the last few days while the “main show” is open). I’ll open most mornings at 10AM and should be open most evenings until around 9:30 to 10PM – later (within reason) if people are visiting/ hanging around.

TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1776.
I don’t normally offer mixed bags of an item like this, but I somehow ended up with an assortment of pieces the past few months (after not really having any for a few years). The smaller pieces here are pretty much “natural” (uncut or brushed) fragments that are mostly oxide (though some certainly still have an appreciable amount of metal in them). These are cheap and a good way for someone to add a small sample of this famous (and relatively hard to get in small pieces) meteorite to their collection (most buyers will actually get a piece somewhat larger than the listed ones on these first 2 items). One of the heavier pieces is obviously still all metal as it has a polished face. The slice is etched on both sides. The largest individual has a Monig number painted on it (M8.33) – the only such Toluca I have ever seen.
a) 9.7 gram “oxide” fragment – 22mm x 15mm x 12mm - $5
b) 20.5 gram “oxide” fragment – 25mm x 24mm x 15mm - $10
c) 76.0 gram “oxide” fragment – 45mm x 40mm x 23mm - $50
d) 100.0 gram etched part slice (one cut edge) – 80mm x 60mm x 3mm - $100
e) 105.7 gram metallic fragment/ individual with polished face – 40mm x 30mm x 22mm - $65
f) 479g brushed metallic individual with Monig number – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400

NWA 7899: Ordinary chondrite (L6), W1. Found before September 2011. Tkw = 420.2 grams.
This is one I wish I had a lot more of. The outside of this egg-shaped piece showed some black lines indicating that some shock veining was present. On a cut surface though, this one makes you say “wow!” It is among the very best breccias I have seen. It has light/medium gray and tan clasts (of all sizes) in a medium to dark gray (shocked) background. This is truly a great display specimen for getting the concept of brecciation across. I have ONLY this piece right now. I have the other half of this stone yet (planned to make it a collection piece) and may end up having to try to cut some slices off of it sometime later (it’ll have to be wire sawed. It was not easy to split this egg with the equipment I have and I’d probably only mess the thing up if I tried).
121.6 gram end piece – 80mm x 60mm x 15mm - $600

NWA 8185: Ordinary chondrite. (L5), S2, W3. Found before February 2009. Tkw = 793 grams.
This is yet another one of those offered to me as “primitive” but turned out not to be (thankfully, I think I have finally figured out how to pick out the real primitive achondrites with my XRF, at least with a cut surface). That part did not surprise me. The L-type did though. This has the medium gray color, somewhat porous texture typical for the H5s and H6s these “possible primitives” usually turn out to be. The research work though clearly showed that this is indeed an L. The interior shows many light gray somewhat angular to rounded clasts (but no real distinct chondrules) in a gray with hints of green matrix. Kind of different.
1) Slices:
a) 8.5 grams - 25mm x 22mm x 4mm - $15
b) 16.1 grams - 40mm x 32mm x 5mm - $25
c) 37.4 grams - 70mm x 60mm x 3mm - $55 – complete slice.
2) End piece:
a) 214.5 grams - 70mm x 57mm x 35mm - $300 – Main mass.

NWA 5421: (LL3.7), cluster chondrite. Found 2007. Tkw = 2.2 kilogrmas.
This is one Matt and I shared some years ago but I sold mine out before it got to any type of public offering. This is because of its amazing appearance. Most of this is nothing but a mass of large distorted chondrules tightly packed together with virtually no matrix what so ever. I got an extra chunk from Matt a couple years ago and sent it to be wire sawed, as it was an odd size and shape and wouldn’t fit into my saw. Thankfully, this took a long time to get done (around a year and a half I think). In the meantime, I learned about “cluster chondrites” from an article in Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences that described these things and had pictures of NWA (5205) as an example that exactly matched my meteorite. “Cluster chondrites” are not really a new class but usually found as small inclusions in other type 3 stones (this particular meteorite just happens to be pretty much one gigantic such “clast”). They are extremely low in matrix, composed of over 80% chondrules (the highest of all meteorites). These chondrules are deformed and indicate that they accreted while still hot hours to days after forming (which hints that they may have formed by low velocity impacts between semi-molten bodies). These “rocks” are believed to likely represent pieces of THE primary accretionary rocks (first solidified rocks that were often then later broken up and mixed into later chondrites).
Wish I knew about all of this when I first got it. I don’t have a lot of this left now. These pieces are pretty much all the “cluster chondrite” texture. Only the large full slice has zones of finer texture (40%).
1) Slices:
a) 1.3 grams - 15mm x 10mm x 2.5mm - $25
b) 2.6 grams - 23mm x 12mm x 3mm - $50
c) 5.5 grams - 28mm x 22mm x 3mm - $100
d) 10.5 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 3mm - $190
e) 20.3 grams - 52mm x 48mm x 2.5mm - $350 – ½ slice
f) 92.6 grams - 115mm x 70mm x 4mm - $1350 – complete slice.

NWA 6950: (Lunar (gabbro). Found June 2011. Tkw = 1649 grams.
A single stone that was broken in eight pieces was found (reportedly) near the Algeria/ Mali border. This material turned out to be a Lunar meteorite with a cumulate texture. This was formed by crystals solidifying and settling out of a magma of basaltic composition that was cooling and solidifying beneath the Lunar surface. These pieces are all part slices (broken from larger slices). They are mostly a mottled mix of light tan and pale green fragments/ crystals but some piece have the occasional thin black shock vein. All are in a labeled plastic box for safety (this is mildly crumbly material) and display.
1) Slices:
a) .15 grams - 8mm x 4mm x 1.5mm - $75
b) .28 grams - 12mm x 5mm x 1.5mm - $140
c) .50 grams - 15mm x 8mm x 1.5mm - $250
d) 1.04 grams - 16mm x 13mm x 1.5mm - $495
e) 2.01 grams - 27mm x 15mm x 1.5mm - $900
f) 5.33 grams - 40mm x 30mm x 1.5mm - $2100

HUCKITTA, Australia: (Pallasite). Found 1937.
Here are a few cut fragments I re-discovered while doing inventory last month. Looking through my records, it seems that I have not offered any of this meteorite on a mailed list for over a decade (however, I have offered the occasional piece on e-mailed offerings over the years). Anyway, these are the usual oxidized pieces that show dark olivine in a blue gray (magnetite and hematite) matrix. I once had quite a lot of this meteorite (8 kg or so), but this is the last of it and this material has gotten fairly scarce these days. I don’t really foresee being able to obtain any sizable quantity of this meteorite in the future (I don’t know of anybody that has some). So, grab one of these if you have been wanting to add this name to your collection. I have only one each of the two larger sizes listed here.
1) Cut fragments:
a) 15.7 grams - 28mm x 26mm x 10mm - $39
b) 22.5 grams - 35mm x 20mm x 18mm - $55
c) 38.9 grams - 45mm x 22mm x 20mm - $90
d) 90.4 grams - 60mm x 30mm x 25mm - $200

CARBONADO, Brazil: Black diamonds that may be from space.
Here are some of the weird diamonds I have spent years trying to acquire since reading about them. The last batch of “Brazilian carbonados” I was sold were clearly not. These very clearly are. These weird, often large diamonds are not really crystals but more of an aggregate of microscopic crystals packed together (interestingly, this structure makes them actually harder than regular diamonds). As such, these seem to have formed by a vapor deposition method somehow. Their chemistry is also unlike any other diamonds. They don’t contain any deep mantle minerals (as other diamonds do). Among many other special features, they have nitrogen and hydrogen in their structure as well as strange minerals including reduced Fe, Si, Ti, FeNi metal and the mineral osbournite (TiN) which has previously only been found in meteorites. It has been concluded by some that these likely formed during the formation of a white dwarf star (which we are learning can basically BE a diamond), with some being blown into our area of space during the super nova that formed them around 3.8 billion years ago.
1) Individual “crystals” as found:
a) 4.1 carat (.82 grams) - 9mm x 8mm x 6mm - $300
b) 17.1 carat (3.42 grams) - 14mm x 12mm x 10mm - sold

Please note:
The post office keeps increasing shipping rates (despite the government’s official claim is that there is no inflation). For small US orders $3 should still be fine for now. Larger orders are now $12 (insurance is extra if desired – I’ll look it up if you want it). The real increases came in overseas (or even Canada) shipping. These prices pretty much doubled from what they were a couple years ago. Now small overseas orders are around $9 (I’ll have to custom quote any larger items/ orders). Thankfully, it seems that the rate for registration (recommended on more valuable overseas orders) is still around $12.
I do have a new fax machine that seems to work (but I have to answer it and manually turn it on), so overseas people can contact me that way if they must However, for overseas orders, it probably is best to go ahead and use my brmeteorites@yahoo.com e-mail.

Baline Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 164 Novak Collection Pt.2

Baline Reed Meteorites For Sale - List 164 Novak Collection Pt.2

Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………….LIST 164
December 2, 2014

Dear Collectors,

Here is another selection of items from the Novak collection.

BRENHAM, Kansas: (Pallasite). Found 1882.
Here is a ¼ slice that I sold Mr. Novak some years ago. It is a piece that was cut from the 351 pound piece that was found on a hill. The slices I have had from this piece (which were properly prepared by Marlin Cilz using no water) have been very stable. This one supports that. I have done nothing to it and it looks great! This has 2 cut edges and one long natural edge.
83.1 gram part slice – 55mm x 50mm x 6mm - $290

CAMPO del CIELO, Argentina: Coarse octahedrite (IAB). Found 1576.
This is a lightly etched end piece. The interior shows some light staining (most likely from someone as lousy at as me trying to etch the thing and failing to neutralize the acid completely when done). There is some minor small rust spots around the edges but this is nice overall. The back is fully natural in shape but has been wire-brushed. A nice hand specimen that would be great for a pass-around display piece.
359.1 gram end piece – 90mm x 45mm x 20mm - $70

CHINGA, Russia: Ataxite, Ni-rich (ungrouped). Found 1913.
This is a nice complete individual. It has been somewhat wire-brushed but still retains (mostly0 a nice dark brown patina. This has the usual somewhat flattened “lensoidal” shape that most of the meteorites found from this fall have. A nice clean and solid individual.
908. 5 gram individual – 100mm x 60mm x 30mm - $550

DRONINO, Russia: Ataxite Ni-poor (ungrouped). Found July 2000. Tkw = around 3000 kilograms.
This piece was somewhat surprising. I would expect a slice of this common to rust meteorite completely fall apart. However, this actually in really great shape when I got it. There was a little bit of rusting around the edges (this is a complete slice) but that was it! I am not sure what this was coated with originally. It seemed like some kind of wax – kind of sticky/ slimy. I stripped it of and re-coated the thing. This shows bright polished metal on one side and deeply etched (only bringing out a granular texture) on the other. Both sides show lots of the elongate sulphide inclusions common in this meteorite.
132.0 gram complete slice – 130mm x 30mm x 4mm - $130

GOLD BASIN, Arizona: (L4). Found November 1995. Tkw = over 127 kilograms.
Here are three pieces Gordon had in his collection. The smallest is an end piece and still shows a nice fresh interior. The smaller fragment does appear to be just a fragment (no real crust that I can see) but is all original old surfaces (no fresh breaks), The 238g piece is quite nice. The exterior is all old natural. Much of it is old secondary or fractured surfaces but the top (nearly 50% of the stone) still shows obvious fusion crust.
a) 28.7 gram end piece – 30mm x 30mm x 15mm - $35
b) 39.7 gram fragment (all natural) – 37mm x 35mm x 13mm - $50
c) 238.5 gram individual – 70mm x 55mm x 40mm - $235
d) a large one I had from earlier at a much lower price; 1483 gram individual/ fragment as found - $1100.00. This is the largest I have ever had and is likely close to the largest ever found. The largest reported in the Bulletin is 1520 grams.

NANTAN, China: Medium octahedrite (IAB). Found 1958.
This came with no label. Looking it over though, its colors, surface features and the shiny in areas (like it has been coated with lacquer at one time) tell me it is a Nantan. This surprises me a bit as this piece is quite solid and only needed the lightest of wire-brushing to bring it to top form. It is rare, but there are indeed stable pieces of Nantan that are not just oxide. This appears to be one of them. It may have some oxides yet in some of the deeper recesses (where a wire brush won’t reach) but it is actual iron overall. This is a nice hand specimen and could easily be mistaken for a Canyon Diablo or such.
676 gram iron individual – 70mm x 70mm x 40mm - $100

SHIROKOVSKY, Russia: Fake pallasite.
I vividly remember when this stuff acme out. I lost quite a bit of money on it (as many of us did). It first appeared priced at around $50/g. I did not buy any – too expensive. I was also hesitant as the metal had a man-made granular look to it to me. Regardless, I ended up taking some to sell on consignment (after I was shown the “official” research reports that clearly said this was indeed a meteorite). Dumb. I ended up refunding everybody’s money (and only got partial refund from the seller). None the less, most collectors LIKE being able to have/ show a good counterfeit, as long as they know/ pay for what they are really getting. Once we figured out that this was fake, I tried to get the folks handling this to make/ prepare more of it in mostly thicker slices for cabechons/ lapidary material (I am sure it would sell well, if priced for what it IS not as a “rare” meteorite). No luck there, unfortunately. This is (was) a super thin 4 gram slice. It was already broken when I got the collection in Denver, but I have managed to finish the job in bringing all of this stuff home (should have put it in its own box). Anyway, it is a bag of small (one up to 2cm x 3cm) slices that would be great for the micro seller. These come with 3 different cards; one info card, one hand-written label and the card, apparently, of the original seller.
4.0 grams of slices - $20

TOLUCA, Mexico: Coarse octahedrite. Found 1776.
This one was needing some work when I got it. I went to knocking off the obvious loose fragments and then started to wire-brush the piece. Thankfully I was paying attention. As a rolled the thing over I noticed that I came fairly close to removing a museum number that I had not noticed on my initial inspection of the piece. It turns out that this specimen is a Monig piece! It has a very clear M8.33 painted on it (this likely would have been put on this piece buy Glenn and Margaret Huss when they cataloged the Monig collection. This, unfortunately, does not have a matching Monig label. It does have a Mark Bostic Collection label though. This has the weight as 482 grams, so it seems I only lost a couple grams in cleaning this piece.
479.9 gram Monig labeled individual – 90mm x 45mm x 35mm - $400