Wednesday, 3 October 2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 127 - after Denver stuff
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 127 - after Denver stuff
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 127
October 2, 2012
Dear Collectors,
Here are a few things I got at the show a couple weeks ago. This is a bit rushed as I am also trying to pull together a mailed listing right now as well (as well as madly working on as much of a solar hot water system as I can possibly accomplish on my own while the weather is still nice). I did not pick up a whole lot of material at the show (that's what happens when you are stuck running a room I guess). The bits I got here are, on review of the list, typically on the more expensive side (not necessarily in price per gram, just over all cost). I usually try to have more material on the affordable side, but simply did not come up with much this time.
LAFAYETTE, Indiana: Nakhlite. Found before 1930. Tkw = 800 grams.
Here is a small crumb (about 1mm x 1.5mm) of this super famous and rare meteorite. This fantastically oriented meteorite was found in the Purdue University geological specimen collection. Less than 200 grams was cut from this beautiful stone for research and distribution to collections. As such, pieces of this are rare in private hands. This piece came from a specimen that came from the Jim Schwade collection. It is in a gem case mounted in a riker box that has a picture of the main mass and basic info (type, find date) inside. Nice little display. I have had these in the past and they have always sold rapidly.
Small (roughly 1mm x 1.5mm crumb in display box - $75
LANCE, France: Carbonaceous (CO3.5). Fell July 23, 1872. Tkw = 51.7 kilograms.
Here are a few fragments (one "large" one and a few small) in a capsule in a Paris Museum container (30mm diameter, 10mm thick plastic disk). I had a few other similar contained specimens, but sold them before Ann Black helped determine that they were Paris museum pieces. I am surprised that this one didn't sell at the show, but then it is not cheap and I had the display case absolutely packed with stuff (easy to get lost in the clutter). Anyway, this is my last such "Paris" piece.
.30 grams fragments in capsule in Paris museum container - $100
LOST CITY, Oklahoma: Fell January 3, 1970. Tkw = 17 kilograms.
These are small blocks of this super famous and important meteorite mounted in Riker boxes with a photograph of the fireball and information card. This was the first meteorite in the US to be recovered from photographs of the meteor trail. Three stations of the Prairie Network of sky cameras picked up the trail and allowed a calculation of the likely fall point. 6 days later, a search team discovered the first specimen, a 9.8 kilo mass, by nearly driving over it as it sat in a road. It took over 10 years of operation of this sky monitoring systems operation before this meteorite was recovered from those efforts. As such, this has been considered to be one of the "most expensive meteorites of all times" (not that it is much "cheaper" now).
a) .57 gram block – 8mm x 7mm x 3mm - $125
b) 1.10 gram block – 10mm x 6mm x 5mm - $240
NWA (unstudied): Diogenite. Found before September 2011. Tkw = 40g.
I got this little beauty at the show last year. BUT I got a bigger one for my collection this year. This is a fresh almost complete individual. It has crust (black with contraction cracks though a bit shiny from wind polishing) covering probably 90% of the specimen. It has one end broken (about 16mm x 15mm) that clearly shows the Bilanga like diogenite internal texture (though a bit hidden by adhering dirt – I have not attempted to clean this in any way). I am selling this for what I paid for it. This is actually cheaper than its current replacement cost, from what I saw at the show this year. From the prices I saw, any Diogenite (and eucrite or howardite for that matter) was priced at $12 to $15/g and above (unstudied even!). I know the official reports are that we don't have inflation here in the US, but those economists sure aren't looking into the meteorite world for their numbers.
39.76 gram individual – 42mm x 25mm x 20mm - $400
NWA (unstudied): Thin sections.
Here are some neat little "kits" a friend of mine created. He has been working on making his own thin-sections the past few years and has gotten quite good at it. He made these from a selection of miscellaneous pieces he pulled out of one of my miscellaneous NWA trays a couple years ago. He thinks that these are all an L6 with high shock level (he has found ringwoodite in all of these). These "kits" each contain the thin-section, the end piece it was made from and a couple photos of the slide through a microscope (in regular and crossed polarizers light). Neat items! I am trying to get him to put similar kits together with know items in the future as well.
Thin section with end piece it was made from and photos - $50
NWA (2968): Ungrouped achondrite (Dunite). Found 2004. Tkw = 265 grams.
This was one of those super rare/ super important things that I pretty much sold all of before I even had a chance to publicly list it (not a bad thing to have happen on my end). Some months ago, I had someone looking for a piece of this and I could not locate one at all. I thought I had set aside some. Recently while going through my "micro" box collection I discovered that I had two pieces hiding there, one being this huge (for this stuff) piece. (Now I wish I could find the 20 odd grams of NWA (5782) acapulcoite/ lodranite breccia I thought I set aside hiding there as well). Anyway, this piece was among the very largest that I got. I am not going to cut this as this material has the nasty habit of breaking apart into small little blocks when cutting or polishing (and in nature apparently, as there really were no big pieces). I have heard rumor of this stuff "going for" hundreds of dollars per gram. I am keeping this piece (partly due to its size) much more reasonable for now.
9.65 gram natural fragment – 18mm x 15mm x 12mm - $1000
ZAGAMI, Nigeria: Mars rock (Shergottite). Fell October 3, 1962. Tkw = 18.1 kilograms.
Happy birthday to this fall tomorrow! This fell 50 years ago. This specimen is certainly the signature piece of this offering. In fact, this comes with 2 signatures! This is a Haag collection piece and he has personally signed both the certificate of authenticity and the information card that comes with it! And, as a "birthday special" this is also priced below (per gram wise) pretty much ANY Mars rock that I am aware of right now! This is a great chance to get an "historic" specimen (Robert does not sell or sign much these days) at an affordable (per gram wise anyway) price. I have a picture of this piece ready to go out to interested collectors.
16.8 gram part slice – 70mm x 30mm x 4mm - $7000
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 126. Denver show SEP2012 info and some meteorites
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 126. Denver show SEP2012 info and some meteorites
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 126
September 2, 2012
Dear Collectors,
I am sending this out a couple days early as I will soon (in just a few days!) be heading off to the Denver show. I am leaving a couple days early as I have some other things I need to do (and people to visit) before I get stuck in my room for the remainder of the trip. I will be gone from the morning of September 8th until September 18th.
I will be in my usual show location; Room 224 however the hotel has changed names. It is now Ramada Plaza - Denver Central. It is still 4849 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80216 for those of you that might be using a GPS to navigate to the show. I will try to have my room open by noon on Tuesday (the 11th). I say try as I have been warned that my room may have been "remodeled" as part of the hotel name change. I really fear these kinds of things. It takes a lot of time and effort to set up a semi-functional room/ display around the (in general) over clutter of furniture that hotels like to stuff the rooms with. So, this year (after 25 years of knowing what I had to do), I may be back at zero in setting up this year (I just pray my tables will still fit). Anyway, I will be in the room from 10am to around 10pm each day for the rest of the show. I will likely go to the COMETS party/ auction on Friday at 6 or 7pm and I will start packing things down around 5pm on Sunday (pretty much my usual schedule).
BASSIKOUNOU, Mauritania: (H5). Fell October 16, 2006. Tkw = around 80 kilograms.
Now here is a specimen that literally looks like it was picked up right after the fall. This is an absolutely pristine complete individual. This does not have a lot in the way of flow lines but it does have a general conical shape to it ("E-Bay oriented" perhaps). The previous owner of this beauty paid over $600 for this years ago. Pieces this nice are certainly hard to come by these days.
103.4 gram complete individual – 45mm x 40mm x 27mm - $470
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is a nice lightly brushed individual. It has a cow paddy shape (round and squat) BUT with nice sculpting to it (larger scale thumb-printing and nice thin ridges around the edge). Not exceptional but nice for a popular meteorite that has become very hard to come by lately (my usual sources say "no more available" these days).
1141.9 gram lightly brushed individual – 90mm x 80mm x 30mm - $740
DALGETY DOWNS, Australia: (L4). Found 1941. Tkw = 473 kilograms.
I got this material a couple years ago while in Socorro and completely forgot about it. This is interesting looking stuff. It shows a good amount of metal and sulfides in a brown and gray mottled matrix. I have some other pieces of Dalgety Downs stashed away somewhere but these look to be a bit fresher (I think these were taken from a large piece and my other pieces were all smaller fragments and subject to slightly greater weathering internally).
1) Slices:
a) 18.2 grams – 47mm x 25mm x 5mm - $45
b) 30.0 grams – 55mm x 30mm x 5mm - $75
2) End piece:
a) 82.6 grams – 60mm x 30mm x 20mm - $190
IMILAC,Chile: (Pallasite). Found 1922.
These are some of the small angular "shrapnel" individuals that have sandy yellow to pinkish orange crystals in their deep pockets. I think I got these from Steve Arnold many years ago (well before he hit the road of fame anyway). I had these on my "regular" catalog for years but recently pulled them as I had so very few remaining (and Seymchan slices make for a better representative pallasite anyway).
1) Shrapnel "individuals" as found:
a) 3.7 grams – 13mm x 13mm x 8mm - $19
b) 5.1 grams – 18mm x 15mm x 6mm - $26
c) 6.7 grams – 20mm x 11mm x 10mm - $34
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = 100+ kilograms.
These are some nice individuals that were likely fairly early recoveries (only some minor browning in areas on some). All of these are basically complete individuals though there are some minor chips on some and others have areas of light secondary crust (that may superficially have the appearance of a break but closer inspection does reveal the presence o fusion crust). I got these (along with the one that I offered earlier that had a label) in a trade from Alan Lang. Unfortunately, I got only one label and that went with the earlier listed piece.
1) Individuals:
a) 5.7 grams – 16mm x 15mm x 11mm - $26
b) 7.1 grams – 17mm x 15mm x 12mm - $32
c) 9.7 grams – 20mm x 15mm x 12mm - $44
d) 12.5 grams – 23mm x 20mm x 11mm - $56
e) 14.1 grams – 28mm x 22mm x 12mm - $63
NWA (801): Carbonaceous chondrite (CR2). Found 2000. Tkw = 5+ kilograms.
This is a complete slice of a fragment. This has quite a bit of metal, both round blebs or metal chondrules and as armoring around many of the chondrules. This also has an interesting large chondrule/ inclusion (roughly 5mm x 6mm). This is in a plastic display box and comes with a Farmer label.
4.4 gram slice – 30mm x 20mm x 3mm - $100
NWA (6454); L-melt rock. Found before February 2005. Tkw = 300 grams.
I only got a small amount of this strange material. This has a light gray interior with some black shock lines and lots of round to elongate metal/ triolite blebs. Very interesting and different. I recall seeing something like this at a Denver show years ago being sold as an achondrite for around $100/g (unfortunately, I cannot recall the NWA number on that material.
1) Slices:
a) 1.9 grams – 22mm x 16mm x 2mm - $40
b) 4.1 grams – 31mm x 27mm x 2mm - $82
c) 9.8 grams – 38mm x 31mm x 3mm - $180 – complete slice.
COPROLITE: Fossilized dung.
I had someone ask me to pick up a piece of this for them at one of the shows (perhaps a year and a half ago, don't remember) but then failed to take it when I got home (I am really starting to think that I will NOT be taking special requests anymore. The track record is something like 30%,I think, of those special requests being honored/ accepted when I do find the asked for material). Anyway, this is a nice piece that looks pretty much like a piece of dung should. I don't think this is really dinosaur doo (those tend to be more nondescript chunks) but nice (and certainly NOT fresh) none the less.
127.1 grams – 60mm x 35mm x 30mm - $25
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 126
September 2, 2012
Dear Collectors,
I am sending this out a couple days early as I will soon (in just a few days!) be heading off to the Denver show. I am leaving a couple days early as I have some other things I need to do (and people to visit) before I get stuck in my room for the remainder of the trip. I will be gone from the morning of September 8th until September 18th.
I will be in my usual show location; Room 224 however the hotel has changed names. It is now Ramada Plaza - Denver Central. It is still 4849 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80216 for those of you that might be using a GPS to navigate to the show. I will try to have my room open by noon on Tuesday (the 11th). I say try as I have been warned that my room may have been "remodeled" as part of the hotel name change. I really fear these kinds of things. It takes a lot of time and effort to set up a semi-functional room/ display around the (in general) over clutter of furniture that hotels like to stuff the rooms with. So, this year (after 25 years of knowing what I had to do), I may be back at zero in setting up this year (I just pray my tables will still fit). Anyway, I will be in the room from 10am to around 10pm each day for the rest of the show. I will likely go to the COMETS party/ auction on Friday at 6 or 7pm and I will start packing things down around 5pm on Sunday (pretty much my usual schedule).
BASSIKOUNOU, Mauritania: (H5). Fell October 16, 2006. Tkw = around 80 kilograms.
Now here is a specimen that literally looks like it was picked up right after the fall. This is an absolutely pristine complete individual. This does not have a lot in the way of flow lines but it does have a general conical shape to it ("E-Bay oriented" perhaps). The previous owner of this beauty paid over $600 for this years ago. Pieces this nice are certainly hard to come by these days.
103.4 gram complete individual – 45mm x 40mm x 27mm - $470
CANYON DIABLO, Arizona: Coarse octahedrite (IAB).
Here is a nice lightly brushed individual. It has a cow paddy shape (round and squat) BUT with nice sculpting to it (larger scale thumb-printing and nice thin ridges around the edge). Not exceptional but nice for a popular meteorite that has become very hard to come by lately (my usual sources say "no more available" these days).
1141.9 gram lightly brushed individual – 90mm x 80mm x 30mm - $740
DALGETY DOWNS, Australia: (L4). Found 1941. Tkw = 473 kilograms.
I got this material a couple years ago while in Socorro and completely forgot about it. This is interesting looking stuff. It shows a good amount of metal and sulfides in a brown and gray mottled matrix. I have some other pieces of Dalgety Downs stashed away somewhere but these look to be a bit fresher (I think these were taken from a large piece and my other pieces were all smaller fragments and subject to slightly greater weathering internally).
1) Slices:
a) 18.2 grams – 47mm x 25mm x 5mm - $45
b) 30.0 grams – 55mm x 30mm x 5mm - $75
2) End piece:
a) 82.6 grams – 60mm x 30mm x 20mm - $190
IMILAC,Chile: (Pallasite). Found 1922.
These are some of the small angular "shrapnel" individuals that have sandy yellow to pinkish orange crystals in their deep pockets. I think I got these from Steve Arnold many years ago (well before he hit the road of fame anyway). I had these on my "regular" catalog for years but recently pulled them as I had so very few remaining (and Seymchan slices make for a better representative pallasite anyway).
1) Shrapnel "individuals" as found:
a) 3.7 grams – 13mm x 13mm x 8mm - $19
b) 5.1 grams – 18mm x 15mm x 6mm - $26
c) 6.7 grams – 20mm x 11mm x 10mm - $34
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = 100+ kilograms.
These are some nice individuals that were likely fairly early recoveries (only some minor browning in areas on some). All of these are basically complete individuals though there are some minor chips on some and others have areas of light secondary crust (that may superficially have the appearance of a break but closer inspection does reveal the presence o fusion crust). I got these (along with the one that I offered earlier that had a label) in a trade from Alan Lang. Unfortunately, I got only one label and that went with the earlier listed piece.
1) Individuals:
a) 5.7 grams – 16mm x 15mm x 11mm - $26
b) 7.1 grams – 17mm x 15mm x 12mm - $32
c) 9.7 grams – 20mm x 15mm x 12mm - $44
d) 12.5 grams – 23mm x 20mm x 11mm - $56
e) 14.1 grams – 28mm x 22mm x 12mm - $63
NWA (801): Carbonaceous chondrite (CR2). Found 2000. Tkw = 5+ kilograms.
This is a complete slice of a fragment. This has quite a bit of metal, both round blebs or metal chondrules and as armoring around many of the chondrules. This also has an interesting large chondrule/ inclusion (roughly 5mm x 6mm). This is in a plastic display box and comes with a Farmer label.
4.4 gram slice – 30mm x 20mm x 3mm - $100
NWA (6454); L-melt rock. Found before February 2005. Tkw = 300 grams.
I only got a small amount of this strange material. This has a light gray interior with some black shock lines and lots of round to elongate metal/ triolite blebs. Very interesting and different. I recall seeing something like this at a Denver show years ago being sold as an achondrite for around $100/g (unfortunately, I cannot recall the NWA number on that material.
1) Slices:
a) 1.9 grams – 22mm x 16mm x 2mm - $40
b) 4.1 grams – 31mm x 27mm x 2mm - $82
c) 9.8 grams – 38mm x 31mm x 3mm - $180 – complete slice.
COPROLITE: Fossilized dung.
I had someone ask me to pick up a piece of this for them at one of the shows (perhaps a year and a half ago, don't remember) but then failed to take it when I got home (I am really starting to think that I will NOT be taking special requests anymore. The track record is something like 30%,I think, of those special requests being honored/ accepted when I do find the asked for material). Anyway, this is a nice piece that looks pretty much like a piece of dung should. I don't think this is really dinosaur doo (those tend to be more nondescript chunks) but nice (and certainly NOT fresh) none the less.
127.1 grams – 60mm x 35mm x 30mm - $25
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites- List 125 - Couple irons, etc. 14AUG2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites- List 125 - Couple irons, etc. 14AUG2012
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 125
August 14, 2012
Dear Collectors,
This was supposed to go out last Tuesday but I was not back from the show yet. I thought about waiting until next Tuesday (the properly scheduled time for an offering) but I have an up coming issue next week that meant I would likely have little time to take and ship orders (and may even interfere with my preparations for Denver). That issue is I get to go to trial against the clown that has been selling fake meteorites supposedly found in Montrose (about 20 miles South of me) the past few years. Thankfully, I a will be testifying on the side of "The People of Colorado" in all of this (after all, it was my purchasing a specimen he was publicly selling and proving it was fake is what started all of this). I know the "defendant" thinks he is going to get me arrested at all of this for "fraud and conspiracy" for saying his material is not real (at least the pieces I have been able to run some analysis work on – can't make any absolute claims on the others). I certainly doubt he will have much luck in that area but this whole thing may get ugly and take considerable time regardless. I apologize to the many of you out there that received rather frightening demands/ invitations/ "electronic subpoenas" from this guy the past few weeks. I have not been able to get the Mesa County DA's office to respond to requests concerning the legitimacy of these "subpoenas" (and have received a bit of heat from some of you that have received them). However, I have heard from officials a bit higher up the food chain (the State Attorney General's office) that those of you that have received these have no obligation to act on them. You must be formally served, as I was, with an official court subpoena to be required to show for the trial. (Darn, and I thought I'd host a big trial/ meteorite people cook out/ party here with all the people that "had to show up" for this circus).
Anyway, I just got in a couple nice irons, a few small scraps from an old research collection and had some things that were sitting around for awhile so here is a (very) brief offering.
ALLENDE, Mexico: Carbonaceous (CV3.2). Fell February 8, 1969.
Here are 3 fresh fragments that, unfortunately, have no crust. These were out of an old research collection.
6.7 grams 3 fragments - $45
GEBEL KAMIL, Egypt: Ni-rich ataxite (ungrouped). Found 2008.
This is a nice piece of the material that was found when a fresh crater (complete with rays) was found on satellite photos. Studies show that debris from the impact cover an ancient road/ trail. It appears the this 148 foot impact happened around 5000 years ago – or after the trail was in place (so the impact was likely witnessed by ancient people). This is a nice, as found, natural shrapnel fragment with a nice chocolate brown color.
220.9 gram natural individual – 80mm x 40mm x 20mm - $200
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
This is a nice as found natural small individual. It is elongate/ pointed piece and could almost be used as a spear point. This has a nice natural orange/ brown color and a nice sculpted shape.
108.6 gram natural individual – 90mm x 30mm x 15mm - $110
JULESBURG, Colorado: (L3.6). Found 1983. Tkw = 60+ kilograms.
This was the "famous" meteorite that was found discarded at the local dump. I did some field work in the area and did manage to get a hold of a roughly 1kg individual many years ago. This is a rectangular slice that was obviously cut from one of the large slices from the mass found at the dump (Glenn Huss – American Meteorite Lab got that one. This does not have a Huss number on it though). One edge (about 35mm long) has a nice thumb-print textured brown crust. The interior shows some obvious chondrules (lots more on careful inspection) and plenty of metal in a mottled dark gray/ jade green matrix.
58.3 gram slice – 80mm x 35mm x 6mm - $580
LEEDEY, Oklahoma: (L6). Fell November 25, 1943. Tkw = 51.5 kilograms.
Here is a nice slice that was set aside by a collector who recently decided to put their limited funds elsewhere. This has one long edge of black crust (about 95mm long worth). The interior is nearly white with some patches of light brown staining (about as fresh as this comes).
82.4 gram slice – 80mm x 72mm x 5mm - $825
RICHARDTON, North Dakota: (H5), veined. Fell June 30, 1918. Tkw = 90.9 kilograms.
This is a small fresh fragment from the same source (old research collection) as the Allende above. Also like the Allende pieces above, this has no crust.
1.1 gram fragment – 10mm x 9mm x 8mm - $20
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 125
August 14, 2012
Dear Collectors,
This was supposed to go out last Tuesday but I was not back from the show yet. I thought about waiting until next Tuesday (the properly scheduled time for an offering) but I have an up coming issue next week that meant I would likely have little time to take and ship orders (and may even interfere with my preparations for Denver). That issue is I get to go to trial against the clown that has been selling fake meteorites supposedly found in Montrose (about 20 miles South of me) the past few years. Thankfully, I a will be testifying on the side of "The People of Colorado" in all of this (after all, it was my purchasing a specimen he was publicly selling and proving it was fake is what started all of this). I know the "defendant" thinks he is going to get me arrested at all of this for "fraud and conspiracy" for saying his material is not real (at least the pieces I have been able to run some analysis work on – can't make any absolute claims on the others). I certainly doubt he will have much luck in that area but this whole thing may get ugly and take considerable time regardless. I apologize to the many of you out there that received rather frightening demands/ invitations/ "electronic subpoenas" from this guy the past few weeks. I have not been able to get the Mesa County DA's office to respond to requests concerning the legitimacy of these "subpoenas" (and have received a bit of heat from some of you that have received them). However, I have heard from officials a bit higher up the food chain (the State Attorney General's office) that those of you that have received these have no obligation to act on them. You must be formally served, as I was, with an official court subpoena to be required to show for the trial. (Darn, and I thought I'd host a big trial/ meteorite people cook out/ party here with all the people that "had to show up" for this circus).
Anyway, I just got in a couple nice irons, a few small scraps from an old research collection and had some things that were sitting around for awhile so here is a (very) brief offering.
ALLENDE, Mexico: Carbonaceous (CV3.2). Fell February 8, 1969.
Here are 3 fresh fragments that, unfortunately, have no crust. These were out of an old research collection.
6.7 grams 3 fragments - $45
GEBEL KAMIL, Egypt: Ni-rich ataxite (ungrouped). Found 2008.
This is a nice piece of the material that was found when a fresh crater (complete with rays) was found on satellite photos. Studies show that debris from the impact cover an ancient road/ trail. It appears the this 148 foot impact happened around 5000 years ago – or after the trail was in place (so the impact was likely witnessed by ancient people). This is a nice, as found, natural shrapnel fragment with a nice chocolate brown color.
220.9 gram natural individual – 80mm x 40mm x 20mm - $200
GIBEON, Namibia: Fine octahedrite (IVA). Found 1836.
This is a nice as found natural small individual. It is elongate/ pointed piece and could almost be used as a spear point. This has a nice natural orange/ brown color and a nice sculpted shape.
108.6 gram natural individual – 90mm x 30mm x 15mm - $110
JULESBURG, Colorado: (L3.6). Found 1983. Tkw = 60+ kilograms.
This was the "famous" meteorite that was found discarded at the local dump. I did some field work in the area and did manage to get a hold of a roughly 1kg individual many years ago. This is a rectangular slice that was obviously cut from one of the large slices from the mass found at the dump (Glenn Huss – American Meteorite Lab got that one. This does not have a Huss number on it though). One edge (about 35mm long) has a nice thumb-print textured brown crust. The interior shows some obvious chondrules (lots more on careful inspection) and plenty of metal in a mottled dark gray/ jade green matrix.
58.3 gram slice – 80mm x 35mm x 6mm - $580
LEEDEY, Oklahoma: (L6). Fell November 25, 1943. Tkw = 51.5 kilograms.
Here is a nice slice that was set aside by a collector who recently decided to put their limited funds elsewhere. This has one long edge of black crust (about 95mm long worth). The interior is nearly white with some patches of light brown staining (about as fresh as this comes).
82.4 gram slice – 80mm x 72mm x 5mm - $825
RICHARDTON, North Dakota: (H5), veined. Fell June 30, 1918. Tkw = 90.9 kilograms.
This is a small fresh fragment from the same source (old research collection) as the Allende above. Also like the Allende pieces above, this has no crust.
1.1 gram fragment – 10mm x 9mm x 8mm - $20
Monday, 16 July 2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 124 - set of Buchwalds, Berthoud, etc.
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 124 - set of Buchwalds, Berthoud, etc.
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 124
July 16, 2012
Dear Collectors,
Normally, this offering should go out tomorrow. I have to leave town yet again Thursday morning, so I thought it a good idea to get this out as early as possible (I had not finished preparing the Belmont pieces until yesterday afternoon). I'll likely be back in full operation on Tuesday the 24th.
I will also be out of town August 2nd through the 7th or 8th for the Creede Mineral show. This runs the 3rd, 4th and 5th (the first Friday, Saturday, Sunday of August). This will also delay my first (only?) August listing as well (assuming I pull out enough new stuff to have one anyway).
BELMONT, Wisconsin: (H6), veined. Found 1958. Tkw = 25.3 kilograms.
This was a single stone ploughed up by a farmer. It has been around for quite awhile, but I think these may be the first pieces of this meteorite I have ever had to sell. This is nice material with lots of metal in a pleasant mottled medium to dark brown matrix. These specimens were cut from a piece that was traded out of UNM and come with a UNM Institute of Meteoritics label.
1) Slices:
a) 5.0 grams – 18mm x 15mm x 5mm - $75
b) 8.6 grams – 30mm x 19mm x 4mm - $129
c) 15.1 grams – 35mm x 27mm x 5mm - $225 – one edge crusted
d) 33.4 grams – 50mm x 36mm x 5mm - $500 – one edge crusted/ museum numbered.
e) 82.6 grams – 85mm x 46mm x 5mm - $1200 – 50% of edge crusted.
BERTHOUD, Colorado: (Eucrite), monomict breccia. Fell October 5, 2004. Tkw = 960 grams.
This was one of those "kind of snuck in" falls. There were no reports of a huge fire- ball, sonic booms and such. A simple whistling noise and a thud was observed by a couple (Andy and Megan Clifford) just after they left their house. Dust kicked up in a near by horse pen led them to the spot where this small stone was found buried just below the surface. I remember seeing the news reports on this and thought I would never see/ have any of this one. I recall they were "accepting offers" with a starting price of $250,000 – or more per gram for the whole chunk than what I am asking on nice finished thin slices. This is very fresh (obviously) and fairly fragile stuff. Accordingly, each of these pieces in a membrane box. These came from UNM and I have "official" UNM Institute of Meteoritics labels to fill out and send with each one of these.
1) Slices:
a) .43 grams – 10mm x 10mm x 2mm - $110
b) .76 grams – 15mm x 11mm x 2mm - $190
c) 1.25 grams – 20mm x 13mm x 2mm - $310
d) 3.15 grams – 25mm x 24mm x 2mm - $780 – has 15mm of crust along one edge.
e) 4.70 grams – 40mm x 27mm x 2mm - $1150
DIMMITT (?), Texas: (H3.7). Found 1942. Tkw = 200+ kilograms.
I put the (?) on this one because I strongly suspect that a couple of these (the two smaller specimens listed) really look to be too fresh and L-type for the real Dimmitt. I personally think that they are more likely pieces of Tulia (B) – an L chondrite that I have had a few pieces of over the years. However, these do have Monig/ TCU labels made up for them as Dimmitt (I likely will make a note on the back that this may not be the case) as they did come out of the bin of Dimmitts in that collection. The area has a number of overlapping strewn fields and the stones often look pretty much identical from the outside, so these issues will likely continue to crop up from time to time as more pieces of "Dimmitt" (or "Tulia" for that matter) get cut in the future (not that there are that many left to cut though). The large piece certainly looks like real Dimmitt to me and has an interesting 1cm sized inclusion (xenolith or melt pocket perhaps).
1) Slices:
a) 3.6 grams – 30mm x 10mm x 4mm - $7
b) 5.2 grams – 25mm x 14mm x 4mm - $10
c) 23.4 grams – 45mm x 25mm x 6mm - $40
NWA (2932): (Mesosiderite). Found 2005. Tkw = 15+ kilograms.
This (like the NWA 4656 and Oum Dreyga below) was set aside for a collector and forgotten about (by them as well as me). This really nice mesosiderite had large metal nodules in it that contained only tiny flecks of silicates uniformly scattered throughout them. Some of these nodules were found loose on their own like meteorite marbles. Their shape and composition made them very difficult to cut and polish (hard to hold onto and got very hot to the point of giving me a couple blisters). This is one of the few I did manage to cut though. I quickly sold out of these when I offered them some years ago. Here is my last one!
26.0 gram end piece – 25mm x 22mm x 12mm - $125
NWA (4656): (H4). Found before February 2006. Tkw = 5 kilograms.
This is a piece I had set aside for a long time for a collector that never came back for it (and I had forgotten about it myself). I think this is my last small piece of this fairly interesting stuff (I think I still have a few hundred gram sized full slice set aside). This is quite fresh and showed strange dark greenish/ gray inclusions on the stone's exterior. When cut, these inclusions are not as distinct (this slice has a couple). They look a bit darker and a bit richer in metal than the surrounding material (which is a medium brown) but they don't leap out a bunch visually as the rest of the stone is very metal rich as well.
18.2 gram slice – 39mm x 38mm x 5mm - $30
NWA (4857): Martian (Shergottite). Found before August 2007. Tkw = about 1kg.
This is another piece of what was the commonly available Martian material a few years ago. We were all thrilled to be able to finally get complete little Mars rocks for our collections (even if they were a bit wind polished. Remember – Tissint had not happened yet). This is a particularly special one though. I don't remember who I got it from, but glad I did (show trade or purchase I believe). This is a nice ORIENTED individual. It has the classic dome shaped nose and flat back. The crust is wind polished on this but in better condition than many pieces of this material. There are some flow lines visible on the parts of the dome (nose) side and a roll-over ridge around the edge of the back. These is a roughly 4 or 5mm corner chipped off of this (an old break – possibly from the fall) but is otherwise complete (and as such, more complete than the vast majority of the specimens from this find).
1.28 gram oriented individual – 12mm x 12mm x 6mm - $1000
OUM DREYGA, Western Sahara: (H3-5). Fell October 16, 2003. Tkw = 17+ kilograms.
This is what we originally sold and traded as `Amgala" before a name was officially attached to it. I have not had much of this recently and wouldn't even have this one if it weren't another one of the "set aside for a collector and forgotten" specimens like a couple above. Actually, these were all set aside in the same place for the same person. I re-discovered them while raking the pit (cleaning my office) and the collector was no longer interested in them (not surprising as they wouldn't have been forgotten if they had enough interest to ask for them later after setting them aside with me). Anyway, this is a fresh individual. It looks like a ½ stone but it is indeed complete. Looking at the "broken" face with a lens it is interesting to see that the very highest points on the face have little blebs of fusion crust perched on them (kind of neat, actually). This stone shows at least three distinct different levels of crusting!
30.7 gram individual – 36mm x 28mm x 15mm - $110
HANDBOOK OF IRON METEORITES:
This is a full set (including outer box) of this famous and very rare trio of books by Vagn F. Buchwald. I remember discussing this book set with folks at ASU many years ago. I recall that VERY few sets were printed (something along the lines of 100 sets or so) and fewer yet were actually distributed (oh how I wish I could have been hiding by the dumpster when the "leftovers" were finally disposed of). Anyway, this set is very fresh and has been very lightly used. I priced that at a level that Mike Jensen (someone who actually specializes in meteorite related books and has a clue to their value) says it should be snatched up in short order.
Complete 3 book set and outer case - $1700
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 124
July 16, 2012
Dear Collectors,
Normally, this offering should go out tomorrow. I have to leave town yet again Thursday morning, so I thought it a good idea to get this out as early as possible (I had not finished preparing the Belmont pieces until yesterday afternoon). I'll likely be back in full operation on Tuesday the 24th.
I will also be out of town August 2nd through the 7th or 8th for the Creede Mineral show. This runs the 3rd, 4th and 5th (the first Friday, Saturday, Sunday of August). This will also delay my first (only?) August listing as well (assuming I pull out enough new stuff to have one anyway).
BELMONT, Wisconsin: (H6), veined. Found 1958. Tkw = 25.3 kilograms.
This was a single stone ploughed up by a farmer. It has been around for quite awhile, but I think these may be the first pieces of this meteorite I have ever had to sell. This is nice material with lots of metal in a pleasant mottled medium to dark brown matrix. These specimens were cut from a piece that was traded out of UNM and come with a UNM Institute of Meteoritics label.
1) Slices:
a) 5.0 grams – 18mm x 15mm x 5mm - $75
b) 8.6 grams – 30mm x 19mm x 4mm - $129
c) 15.1 grams – 35mm x 27mm x 5mm - $225 – one edge crusted
d) 33.4 grams – 50mm x 36mm x 5mm - $500 – one edge crusted/ museum numbered.
e) 82.6 grams – 85mm x 46mm x 5mm - $1200 – 50% of edge crusted.
BERTHOUD, Colorado: (Eucrite), monomict breccia. Fell October 5, 2004. Tkw = 960 grams.
This was one of those "kind of snuck in" falls. There were no reports of a huge fire- ball, sonic booms and such. A simple whistling noise and a thud was observed by a couple (Andy and Megan Clifford) just after they left their house. Dust kicked up in a near by horse pen led them to the spot where this small stone was found buried just below the surface. I remember seeing the news reports on this and thought I would never see/ have any of this one. I recall they were "accepting offers" with a starting price of $250,000 – or more per gram for the whole chunk than what I am asking on nice finished thin slices. This is very fresh (obviously) and fairly fragile stuff. Accordingly, each of these pieces in a membrane box. These came from UNM and I have "official" UNM Institute of Meteoritics labels to fill out and send with each one of these.
1) Slices:
a) .43 grams – 10mm x 10mm x 2mm - $110
b) .76 grams – 15mm x 11mm x 2mm - $190
c) 1.25 grams – 20mm x 13mm x 2mm - $310
d) 3.15 grams – 25mm x 24mm x 2mm - $780 – has 15mm of crust along one edge.
e) 4.70 grams – 40mm x 27mm x 2mm - $1150
DIMMITT (?), Texas: (H3.7). Found 1942. Tkw = 200+ kilograms.
I put the (?) on this one because I strongly suspect that a couple of these (the two smaller specimens listed) really look to be too fresh and L-type for the real Dimmitt. I personally think that they are more likely pieces of Tulia (B) – an L chondrite that I have had a few pieces of over the years. However, these do have Monig/ TCU labels made up for them as Dimmitt (I likely will make a note on the back that this may not be the case) as they did come out of the bin of Dimmitts in that collection. The area has a number of overlapping strewn fields and the stones often look pretty much identical from the outside, so these issues will likely continue to crop up from time to time as more pieces of "Dimmitt" (or "Tulia" for that matter) get cut in the future (not that there are that many left to cut though). The large piece certainly looks like real Dimmitt to me and has an interesting 1cm sized inclusion (xenolith or melt pocket perhaps).
1) Slices:
a) 3.6 grams – 30mm x 10mm x 4mm - $7
b) 5.2 grams – 25mm x 14mm x 4mm - $10
c) 23.4 grams – 45mm x 25mm x 6mm - $40
NWA (2932): (Mesosiderite). Found 2005. Tkw = 15+ kilograms.
This (like the NWA 4656 and Oum Dreyga below) was set aside for a collector and forgotten about (by them as well as me). This really nice mesosiderite had large metal nodules in it that contained only tiny flecks of silicates uniformly scattered throughout them. Some of these nodules were found loose on their own like meteorite marbles. Their shape and composition made them very difficult to cut and polish (hard to hold onto and got very hot to the point of giving me a couple blisters). This is one of the few I did manage to cut though. I quickly sold out of these when I offered them some years ago. Here is my last one!
26.0 gram end piece – 25mm x 22mm x 12mm - $125
NWA (4656): (H4). Found before February 2006. Tkw = 5 kilograms.
This is a piece I had set aside for a long time for a collector that never came back for it (and I had forgotten about it myself). I think this is my last small piece of this fairly interesting stuff (I think I still have a few hundred gram sized full slice set aside). This is quite fresh and showed strange dark greenish/ gray inclusions on the stone's exterior. When cut, these inclusions are not as distinct (this slice has a couple). They look a bit darker and a bit richer in metal than the surrounding material (which is a medium brown) but they don't leap out a bunch visually as the rest of the stone is very metal rich as well.
18.2 gram slice – 39mm x 38mm x 5mm - $30
NWA (4857): Martian (Shergottite). Found before August 2007. Tkw = about 1kg.
This is another piece of what was the commonly available Martian material a few years ago. We were all thrilled to be able to finally get complete little Mars rocks for our collections (even if they were a bit wind polished. Remember – Tissint had not happened yet). This is a particularly special one though. I don't remember who I got it from, but glad I did (show trade or purchase I believe). This is a nice ORIENTED individual. It has the classic dome shaped nose and flat back. The crust is wind polished on this but in better condition than many pieces of this material. There are some flow lines visible on the parts of the dome (nose) side and a roll-over ridge around the edge of the back. These is a roughly 4 or 5mm corner chipped off of this (an old break – possibly from the fall) but is otherwise complete (and as such, more complete than the vast majority of the specimens from this find).
1.28 gram oriented individual – 12mm x 12mm x 6mm - $1000
OUM DREYGA, Western Sahara: (H3-5). Fell October 16, 2003. Tkw = 17+ kilograms.
This is what we originally sold and traded as `Amgala" before a name was officially attached to it. I have not had much of this recently and wouldn't even have this one if it weren't another one of the "set aside for a collector and forgotten" specimens like a couple above. Actually, these were all set aside in the same place for the same person. I re-discovered them while raking the pit (cleaning my office) and the collector was no longer interested in them (not surprising as they wouldn't have been forgotten if they had enough interest to ask for them later after setting them aside with me). Anyway, this is a fresh individual. It looks like a ½ stone but it is indeed complete. Looking at the "broken" face with a lens it is interesting to see that the very highest points on the face have little blebs of fusion crust perched on them (kind of neat, actually). This stone shows at least three distinct different levels of crusting!
30.7 gram individual – 36mm x 28mm x 15mm - $110
HANDBOOK OF IRON METEORITES:
This is a full set (including outer box) of this famous and very rare trio of books by Vagn F. Buchwald. I remember discussing this book set with folks at ASU many years ago. I recall that VERY few sets were printed (something along the lines of 100 sets or so) and fewer yet were actually distributed (oh how I wish I could have been hiding by the dumpster when the "leftovers" were finally disposed of). Anyway, this set is very fresh and has been very lightly used. I priced that at a level that Mike Jensen (someone who actually specializes in meteorite related books and has a clue to their value) says it should be snatched up in short order.
Complete 3 book set and outer case - $1700
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 123 my largest carbonaceous, etc.
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 123 my largest carbonaceous, etc.
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 123
July 3, 2012
Dear Collectors,
Here is a slightly abbreviated list. I have been busy with things around the house (nothing like cleaning up the garage for a couple days in 100 degree plus heat to knock you back a bit) and have not had much time to pull things together. I will also be heading out of town for the weekend. I had planned on leaving Thursday morning but I likely will delay leaving until Friday. I should be back by next Tuesday afternoon at the latest. I MAY have computer access on parts of this trip (I will try), so if you notice this list sometime after Friday morning, do feel free to leave a message (if phoning – Linda will pass that on to me) or e-mail. I will get back to you either way as soon as I can.
DARWIN GLASS, Tasmania, Australia.
I had this, one of my largest pieces ever, set aside for a collector since I listed this stuff back in October last year. He, unfortunately, had some health issues. He has recovered, thankfully, but his collecting has not. So, here is a second chance for someone out there to get a fairly big piece of this crater/ impact glass.
36.9 gram fragment – 40mm x 28mm x 25mm - $90
HASSAYAMPA, Arizona: (H4). Found before 1963. Tkw = 16kg.
Here are some small slices from TCU/ Monig Collection. This is quite fresh material and shows lots of metal in a medium brown matrix. Two of these (the 7.5g and the 15.0g) have a nice edge of black fusion crust. All of these have a TCU/ Monig label.
1) Slices:
a) 4.0 grams – 28mm x 10mm x 5mm - $14
b) 7.5 grams – 25mm x 25mm x 4mm - $27 – one edge crusted.
c) 9.7 grams – 32mm x 20mm x 5mm - $34
d) 15.0 grams – 31mm x 24mm x 5mm - $53 – one edge crusted.
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = 100+kilograms.
This is a nice complete individual that has a Lang Collection label with it. It is a piece that was properly taken care (some of these stones were really rusty – I was told from the finders soaking them in water to make them weigh more because they were offered money by weight for them). It has some faint hints of brown, but light enough that it is likely from Alan's humid home environment rather than a Chinese finder's soaking. There are a few minor chipped areas, but these show light secondary crust.
22.9 gram individual – 30mm x 22mm x 18mm - $125
NWA Carbonaceous: (CO3). Found before September 2010. Tkw = 15,947 grams.
This is currently my largest stone meteorite! (it may even be my largest meteorite period at this point). It was sold to me as "just" an LL3. But once I received it, it was clearly a CO3! This is currently in research and has been confirmed a CO3. I am still waiting for the subtype (I might regret selling this if then later turns out to be a 3.0). This is a large single stone that appears to be oriented (dome shaped with some flow lines down parts of the side). This is likely the 4th or 5th largest pieces of CO3 known (depending upon how much Isna has been cut down). This is a special offer price and I will pull this item if a deal on a piece of land I am selling does go through (at this point it is one or the other). I had this in Tucson at $50k (and came fairly close to a deal – money and trade any way – on it at that price). Even that price (around $3/g) is what the Moroccans are asking for any stone they think is a type 3 (H, L, LL's anyway) these days.
15,900gram likely oriented individual - 295mm x 220mm x 150mm - $25,000
NWA (1648): (Diogenite), polymict breccia. Found October 2002. Tkw = 803 grams.
This looks a lot like a howardite actually but the science work on it would have easily caught it if it was. These are 4 nice cut fragments (3 around 1 cm sized and one closer to 5mm) in a membrane box that is in a Riker mount with a Lang collection label. These would probably be great for re-sale.
1.8 grams, 4 fragments - $65
NWA (1929): (howardite). Found 2003. Tkw = "922 grams".
Here are a couple slices that are likely from that original piece that Mike Farmer hauled back from Morocco (before it was discovered that the was a fairly large strew field of this stuff soon after). I am still waiting to see/ hear if they have determined yet if these things (the HED achondrites) really are from Vesta. I have heard the occasional rumor that they are, but nothing concrete (hey – we have been orbiting the thing for a year now. I have seen plenty of interesting pictures but not much in the way of science discovery notes). Both of these appear to be complete slices, but they have broken edges that I am not certain if they are natural or not. Both come in a plastic display box and have their original Michael Farmer Meteorites labels.
a) 5.0 gram slice – 35mm x 20mm x 3mm - $80
b) 17.1 gram slice – 48mm x 26mm x 6mm - $250
RENFROW, Oklahoma: (L6). Found 2003. Tkw = 81.6kilograms.
Either this or an Etter I bought early on was the largest stone meteorite I have ever had (these two were both right at the 180 pound size – I didn't have a scale that could really accurately weigh these monsters back then). Regardless, this is pretty much the only piece I have of this meteorite (other than the 1697g largest slice I have in my collection) at this point. I now pretty much have to rely on pieces bought from collectors (as this was) to be able to offer any of this these days. Hard to imagine that much material disappearing into collections around the world to only be seen on rare occasions. Any way, this is a complete slice that I recently picked up from a collector in Oklahoma that is downsizing his collection (not so many dinner plate sized slices on his shelf these days – allows for more smaller specimens).
898.7 gram complete slice – 290mm x 200mm x 6mm - $1700
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 123
July 3, 2012
Dear Collectors,
Here is a slightly abbreviated list. I have been busy with things around the house (nothing like cleaning up the garage for a couple days in 100 degree plus heat to knock you back a bit) and have not had much time to pull things together. I will also be heading out of town for the weekend. I had planned on leaving Thursday morning but I likely will delay leaving until Friday. I should be back by next Tuesday afternoon at the latest. I MAY have computer access on parts of this trip (I will try), so if you notice this list sometime after Friday morning, do feel free to leave a message (if phoning – Linda will pass that on to me) or e-mail. I will get back to you either way as soon as I can.
DARWIN GLASS, Tasmania, Australia.
I had this, one of my largest pieces ever, set aside for a collector since I listed this stuff back in October last year. He, unfortunately, had some health issues. He has recovered, thankfully, but his collecting has not. So, here is a second chance for someone out there to get a fairly big piece of this crater/ impact glass.
36.9 gram fragment – 40mm x 28mm x 25mm - $90
HASSAYAMPA, Arizona: (H4). Found before 1963. Tkw = 16kg.
Here are some small slices from TCU/ Monig Collection. This is quite fresh material and shows lots of metal in a medium brown matrix. Two of these (the 7.5g and the 15.0g) have a nice edge of black fusion crust. All of these have a TCU/ Monig label.
1) Slices:
a) 4.0 grams – 28mm x 10mm x 5mm - $14
b) 7.5 grams – 25mm x 25mm x 4mm - $27 – one edge crusted.
c) 9.7 grams – 32mm x 20mm x 5mm - $34
d) 15.0 grams – 31mm x 24mm x 5mm - $53 – one edge crusted.
JUANCHENGE, China: (H5). Fell February 15, 1997. Tkw = 100+kilograms.
This is a nice complete individual that has a Lang Collection label with it. It is a piece that was properly taken care (some of these stones were really rusty – I was told from the finders soaking them in water to make them weigh more because they were offered money by weight for them). It has some faint hints of brown, but light enough that it is likely from Alan's humid home environment rather than a Chinese finder's soaking. There are a few minor chipped areas, but these show light secondary crust.
22.9 gram individual – 30mm x 22mm x 18mm - $125
NWA Carbonaceous: (CO3). Found before September 2010. Tkw = 15,947 grams.
This is currently my largest stone meteorite! (it may even be my largest meteorite period at this point). It was sold to me as "just" an LL3. But once I received it, it was clearly a CO3! This is currently in research and has been confirmed a CO3. I am still waiting for the subtype (I might regret selling this if then later turns out to be a 3.0). This is a large single stone that appears to be oriented (dome shaped with some flow lines down parts of the side). This is likely the 4th or 5th largest pieces of CO3 known (depending upon how much Isna has been cut down). This is a special offer price and I will pull this item if a deal on a piece of land I am selling does go through (at this point it is one or the other). I had this in Tucson at $50k (and came fairly close to a deal – money and trade any way – on it at that price). Even that price (around $3/g) is what the Moroccans are asking for any stone they think is a type 3 (H, L, LL's anyway) these days.
15,900gram likely oriented individual - 295mm x 220mm x 150mm - $25,000
NWA (1648): (Diogenite), polymict breccia. Found October 2002. Tkw = 803 grams.
This looks a lot like a howardite actually but the science work on it would have easily caught it if it was. These are 4 nice cut fragments (3 around 1 cm sized and one closer to 5mm) in a membrane box that is in a Riker mount with a Lang collection label. These would probably be great for re-sale.
1.8 grams, 4 fragments - $65
NWA (1929): (howardite). Found 2003. Tkw = "922 grams".
Here are a couple slices that are likely from that original piece that Mike Farmer hauled back from Morocco (before it was discovered that the was a fairly large strew field of this stuff soon after). I am still waiting to see/ hear if they have determined yet if these things (the HED achondrites) really are from Vesta. I have heard the occasional rumor that they are, but nothing concrete (hey – we have been orbiting the thing for a year now. I have seen plenty of interesting pictures but not much in the way of science discovery notes). Both of these appear to be complete slices, but they have broken edges that I am not certain if they are natural or not. Both come in a plastic display box and have their original Michael Farmer Meteorites labels.
a) 5.0 gram slice – 35mm x 20mm x 3mm - $80
b) 17.1 gram slice – 48mm x 26mm x 6mm - $250
RENFROW, Oklahoma: (L6). Found 2003. Tkw = 81.6kilograms.
Either this or an Etter I bought early on was the largest stone meteorite I have ever had (these two were both right at the 180 pound size – I didn't have a scale that could really accurately weigh these monsters back then). Regardless, this is pretty much the only piece I have of this meteorite (other than the 1697g largest slice I have in my collection) at this point. I now pretty much have to rely on pieces bought from collectors (as this was) to be able to offer any of this these days. Hard to imagine that much material disappearing into collections around the world to only be seen on rare occasions. Any way, this is a complete slice that I recently picked up from a collector in Oklahoma that is downsizing his collection (not so many dinner plate sized slices on his shelf these days – allows for more smaller specimens).
898.7 gram complete slice – 290mm x 200mm x 6mm - $1700
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List #122 6JUN2012
[brmeteorites_list] List 122 - more misc
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 122
June 5, 2012
Dear Collectors,
Here is yet another assortment of things I had in boxes (both from Tucson and otherwise). Many are collection labeled, but some are not (I'll note this in the description).
I may be a but hard to reach late this afternoon. We have another interesting astronomical event happening today – Venus crossing the sun after about 5pm here today. I'll have my telescope set up (I have a serious sun filter – which I used just a couple weeks ago with a good pair of binoculars to see the annular eclipse) to see this. I got to see this same event back in May of 2004, I believe. However, today will be the last time this occurs for over 100 years. Thankfully, it looks like (as usual) we will be cloud free (but really hot) today.
CLEO SPRINGS, Oklahoma: (H4). Found 1960, Tkw = 24 kilograms.
This is a thick ½ slice (one cut edge, remainder is natural). This was a really weathered old meteorite and pieces broken off the exterior did not show any remaining metal to speak of. This slice did not show a lot when I got it but I did a little re-polishing work on it and was quite pleased with the results. There is indeed a zone of metal free weathering rind (about 20mm thick) along the top edge of this piece but the remainder actually looks quite nice. It shows a LOT of really fine-grained metal in a medium brown/gray matrix. If this does not sell as it is, I will get this cut into some thinner pieces and offer those later.
755.5 gram ½ slice – 135mm x 130mm x 12mm - $1350
HUCKITTA, Australia: (Pallasite). Found 1924. Tkw = 1500+kilograms.
These are some nice complete slices of the usual oxidized material. These are all Lang Collection pieces but I only got labels to go with the three largest pieces. I had some similar slices a couple years ago and they sold quite rapidly so I was happy to see these come along. The large slice is a particularly nice display specimen (largest surface area I have seen for this material) and I have been debating whether or not to keep it as part of my collection (but then, more geo-exchange install bills come along…..)
a) 37.5 gram complete slice – 70mm x 45mm x 3mm - $94
b) 69.2 gram complete slice – 75mm x 60mm x 4mm - $173
c) 100.5 gram complete slice – 115mm x 68mm x 4mm - $250
d) 128.2 gram complete slice – 165mm x 95mm x 3mm - $320
MOUNT TAZERZAIT, Niger: (L5). Fell August 21, 1991. Tkw = 110 kilograms.
I have had this piece for quite some time so I know I have offered it before, but I think it has been quite some time. I am quite surprised that I still have this. It is an affordable witnessed fall that is not all that readily available. This is a "complete" slice (no cut edges) that has only a little patch of crust along on edge. This is a light gray with hints of light brown and has an interesting porous matrix (obviously this has a low shock level). I have not seen another piece of this available for quite awhile.
40.0 gram slice – 63mm x 40mm x 6mm - $200
NWA 065: (H5). Found August 6, 2000. Tkw = 5094grams.
I have only three pieces of this. I had offered it a couple years (or more) ago and then promptly forgot about it after I set it aside with some other NWA material. This is an early NWA piece and is quite interesting in that it has a porous texture (like the above Mt. Tazerzait) and an interesting mixed reddish brown and gray matrix. The 23.6 gram piece has a Cottingham label to go with it.
a) 18.4 gram slice – 47mm x 33mm x 5mm - $45
b) 23.6 gram slice – 50mm x 35mm x 5mm - $55 – has label.
c) 25.4 gram slice – 50mm x 37mm x 6mm - $60
NWA (6355): (Lunar). Found 2009. Tkw = 760 grams.
This is the stuff that closely matches the composition of soils at the Apollo 16 landing site. There has been speculation (but no way to completely prove at this point, unfortunately) that this meteorite might have indeed originated from an impact in that area of the moon. This is a nice thumb-nail sized slice that shows some lighter colored angular clasts in a dark matrix. This is in a ready to show/ pass around display. It has an explanatory label that has both pictures of this actual specimen, the complete NWA (6355) meteorite before cutting and the Apollo 16 landing site – all in a membrane box. This is my last piece of this material set up this way.
.81 gram slice – 14mm x 11mm x 2mm - $690
SARATOV, Russia: (L4). Fell September 6, 1918. Tkw = 328 kilograms.
This is quite friable stuff. It likes to crumble a bit into fragments and chondrules if handled harshly. Because of this, most pieces of this material available have been fragments, blocks and thick slices. This is the case here. I may try having a block (or the large somewhat wedged slice) listed here cut with a gentle wire saw if I have them remaining later. Resulting pieces would be at a substantially higher price per gram though as wire cutting is an expensive process but the only that has much chance of making some slices of this without turning it all into a pile of gravel and mud. I do have one Lang Collection label that was for a 291g piece that I do not have – I'll send it with the 508g "slice" (numbers already changed on the weight space for this).
a) 4.4 grams fragment – 15mm x 14mm x 10mm - $26
b) 62.9 gram cut fragment – 38mm x 20mm x 26mm - $280
c) 114.6 gram block – 45mm x 35mm x 25mm - $500
d) 508.6 gram wedged slice – 110mm x 75mm x 20mm - $2000 – this has some nice crust along its thick edge.
TRAVIS COUNTY (a), Texas: (H5). Found 1889. Tkw = 175.4 kilograms.
41 of the 52 pieces of meteorite recovered in the area were found to represent one fall. These were found to be a shock blackened (H5) chondrite and was assigned the name Travis County (a). The pieces I have here are all small slices from the TCU Monig Collection and each has a Monig label to go with them.
a) 6.6 gram slice – 30mm x 20mm x 3mm - $12
b) 8.7 gram slice – 33mm x 21mm x 4mm - $15
c) 11.8 gram slice – 35mm x 31mm x 4mm - $20
TULIA (d), Texas: (H6). Found 1981. Tkw = 17.7 kilograms.
I received a small batch of small slices and end pieces of this meteorite recently (well, after Tucson anyway – I probably would have sold them out there if I had them then). These pieces each have a TCU, Monig Collection label with them.
a) 4.8 gram end piece – 30mm x 18mm x 5mm - $17
b) 6.2 gram slice – 27mm x 18mm x 3mm - $22
c) 9.0 gram slice – 28mm x 25mm x 4mm - $32
d) 14.5 gram slice – 46mm x 25mm x 6mm - $51
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 122
June 5, 2012
Dear Collectors,
Here is yet another assortment of things I had in boxes (both from Tucson and otherwise). Many are collection labeled, but some are not (I'll note this in the description).
I may be a but hard to reach late this afternoon. We have another interesting astronomical event happening today – Venus crossing the sun after about 5pm here today. I'll have my telescope set up (I have a serious sun filter – which I used just a couple weeks ago with a good pair of binoculars to see the annular eclipse) to see this. I got to see this same event back in May of 2004, I believe. However, today will be the last time this occurs for over 100 years. Thankfully, it looks like (as usual) we will be cloud free (but really hot) today.
CLEO SPRINGS, Oklahoma: (H4). Found 1960, Tkw = 24 kilograms.
This is a thick ½ slice (one cut edge, remainder is natural). This was a really weathered old meteorite and pieces broken off the exterior did not show any remaining metal to speak of. This slice did not show a lot when I got it but I did a little re-polishing work on it and was quite pleased with the results. There is indeed a zone of metal free weathering rind (about 20mm thick) along the top edge of this piece but the remainder actually looks quite nice. It shows a LOT of really fine-grained metal in a medium brown/gray matrix. If this does not sell as it is, I will get this cut into some thinner pieces and offer those later.
755.5 gram ½ slice – 135mm x 130mm x 12mm - $1350
HUCKITTA, Australia: (Pallasite). Found 1924. Tkw = 1500+kilograms.
These are some nice complete slices of the usual oxidized material. These are all Lang Collection pieces but I only got labels to go with the three largest pieces. I had some similar slices a couple years ago and they sold quite rapidly so I was happy to see these come along. The large slice is a particularly nice display specimen (largest surface area I have seen for this material) and I have been debating whether or not to keep it as part of my collection (but then, more geo-exchange install bills come along…..)
a) 37.5 gram complete slice – 70mm x 45mm x 3mm - $94
b) 69.2 gram complete slice – 75mm x 60mm x 4mm - $173
c) 100.5 gram complete slice – 115mm x 68mm x 4mm - $250
d) 128.2 gram complete slice – 165mm x 95mm x 3mm - $320
MOUNT TAZERZAIT, Niger: (L5). Fell August 21, 1991. Tkw = 110 kilograms.
I have had this piece for quite some time so I know I have offered it before, but I think it has been quite some time. I am quite surprised that I still have this. It is an affordable witnessed fall that is not all that readily available. This is a "complete" slice (no cut edges) that has only a little patch of crust along on edge. This is a light gray with hints of light brown and has an interesting porous matrix (obviously this has a low shock level). I have not seen another piece of this available for quite awhile.
40.0 gram slice – 63mm x 40mm x 6mm - $200
NWA 065: (H5). Found August 6, 2000. Tkw = 5094grams.
I have only three pieces of this. I had offered it a couple years (or more) ago and then promptly forgot about it after I set it aside with some other NWA material. This is an early NWA piece and is quite interesting in that it has a porous texture (like the above Mt. Tazerzait) and an interesting mixed reddish brown and gray matrix. The 23.6 gram piece has a Cottingham label to go with it.
a) 18.4 gram slice – 47mm x 33mm x 5mm - $45
b) 23.6 gram slice – 50mm x 35mm x 5mm - $55 – has label.
c) 25.4 gram slice – 50mm x 37mm x 6mm - $60
NWA (6355): (Lunar). Found 2009. Tkw = 760 grams.
This is the stuff that closely matches the composition of soils at the Apollo 16 landing site. There has been speculation (but no way to completely prove at this point, unfortunately) that this meteorite might have indeed originated from an impact in that area of the moon. This is a nice thumb-nail sized slice that shows some lighter colored angular clasts in a dark matrix. This is in a ready to show/ pass around display. It has an explanatory label that has both pictures of this actual specimen, the complete NWA (6355) meteorite before cutting and the Apollo 16 landing site – all in a membrane box. This is my last piece of this material set up this way.
.81 gram slice – 14mm x 11mm x 2mm - $690
SARATOV, Russia: (L4). Fell September 6, 1918. Tkw = 328 kilograms.
This is quite friable stuff. It likes to crumble a bit into fragments and chondrules if handled harshly. Because of this, most pieces of this material available have been fragments, blocks and thick slices. This is the case here. I may try having a block (or the large somewhat wedged slice) listed here cut with a gentle wire saw if I have them remaining later. Resulting pieces would be at a substantially higher price per gram though as wire cutting is an expensive process but the only that has much chance of making some slices of this without turning it all into a pile of gravel and mud. I do have one Lang Collection label that was for a 291g piece that I do not have – I'll send it with the 508g "slice" (numbers already changed on the weight space for this).
a) 4.4 grams fragment – 15mm x 14mm x 10mm - $26
b) 62.9 gram cut fragment – 38mm x 20mm x 26mm - $280
c) 114.6 gram block – 45mm x 35mm x 25mm - $500
d) 508.6 gram wedged slice – 110mm x 75mm x 20mm - $2000 – this has some nice crust along its thick edge.
TRAVIS COUNTY (a), Texas: (H5). Found 1889. Tkw = 175.4 kilograms.
41 of the 52 pieces of meteorite recovered in the area were found to represent one fall. These were found to be a shock blackened (H5) chondrite and was assigned the name Travis County (a). The pieces I have here are all small slices from the TCU Monig Collection and each has a Monig label to go with them.
a) 6.6 gram slice – 30mm x 20mm x 3mm - $12
b) 8.7 gram slice – 33mm x 21mm x 4mm - $15
c) 11.8 gram slice – 35mm x 31mm x 4mm - $20
TULIA (d), Texas: (H6). Found 1981. Tkw = 17.7 kilograms.
I received a small batch of small slices and end pieces of this meteorite recently (well, after Tucson anyway – I probably would have sold them out there if I had them then). These pieces each have a TCU, Monig Collection label with them.
a) 4.8 gram end piece – 30mm x 18mm x 5mm - $17
b) 6.2 gram slice – 27mm x 18mm x 3mm - $22
c) 9.0 gram slice – 28mm x 25mm x 4mm - $32
d) 14.5 gram slice – 46mm x 25mm x 6mm - $51
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 121 My rarest dollar and misc meteorites
Blaine Reed Meteorites - List 121 My rarest dollar and misc meteorites
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 121
May 22, 2012
Dear Collectors,
I had to get back from the eclipse trip earlier than I had expected. It turns out that I had a big heating/cooling system job that got scheduled for starting today (or I could wait another few weeks for the next available time with the installers. With temperatures already hitting the 90's and soon to be 100's I want this system running as soon as possible). There is already a five foot deep trench across my driveway (barely had time to get my cars on the other side before they started digging this morning.
The eclipse was quite enjoyable. It was not the jaw dropping spectacle that a full eclipse is but it was still pretty cool to see the sun turn into a thin ring of light. It was really surprising how few people knew (or cared) what was going on. I guess they were all in a hurry to get back home to their bread and circuses.
As with the last list, there are quite a few specimens here that are Lang collection origin and labeled. There are also some that are TCU/ Monig collection labeled and some are Mike Farmer labeled. I'll make note of these in their descriptions.
CAMEL DONGA, Australia: Achondrite (Eucrite). Found 1984. Tkw = 30+kg.
Here are a few small pieces I picked up in Tucson and promptly forgot about. The "end piece" is highly polished and has a nice interior texture but no crust on the back side. The other 2 pieces are partial individuals that have around 50% or so crust coverage. These are somewhat weathered so I suspect that they are relatively recent recoveries but they do still flow lines and some shiny crust.
a) 2.7 gram end piece – 20mm x 11mm x 9mm - $40
b) 3.5 gram ½ stone – 20mm x 12mm x 10mm - $55
c) 4.7 gram ~ ½ stone – 21mm x 14mm x 11mm - $75
DAR al GANI (332), Libya: Carbonaceous (CO3). Found 1997. Tkw = 280 grams.
This is undoubtedly another piece (and my last one I believe) of the large number of DaG (CO3) meteorites that got many different numbers assigned to them but (many anyway) were likely from a strewn field formed during a single fall even long ago. This is an unpolished complete slice (and has a lighter color and more visible chondrules than the polished pieces I had earlier). This is in a Riker box and has a Lang Collection label.
26.8 gram complete slice – 48mm x 37mm x 6mm (a bit wedged actually) - $240
DAR al GANI (429),, Libya: Carbonaceous. (C3), ungrouped. Found 1998. Tkw = 253grams.
I really suspect that the total on this is really closer to 800grams as DaG (430) is also an ungrouped C3 meteorite. These are rare enough (I have only had a few over all the years) that I would really be surprised if these two were not paired. This is a Lang Collection labeled vial of fragments (small up to around 5mm x 10mm in size) in a glass bottle in a Riker mount. This looks very fresh as it is very light gray in color and the largest fragment has a small sanded area that shows lots of metal. Interesting and no doubt rare.
5.1 grams of fragments in vial - $175
NWA (801): Carbonaceous (CR2). Found 2001. Tkw = 5kg+.
This has always been one of my favorite meteorites texturally. This piece does not show quite as well as some as it has been highly polished. Polishing has made this a little darker overall but closer inspection reveals lots of metal hiding in this slice. Most of it is surrounding chondrules (lots of armored chondrules in this) but some is as round blebs or metal "chondrules" (I have seen them called such in some research work). This piece is in a nice plastic box and has a Michael Farmer label.
4.47 gram complete slice – 35mm x 17mm x 3mm - $100
NWA (1939): Achondrite (Howardite). Found 2003. Tkw = 100.4 grams.
At first glance, I thought that this was likely just another piece of the NWA (1929) howardite (probably the most commonly available NWA howardite, listed under many different numbers) with a miss-typed label. Closer inspection shows that this is very likely NOT the case. The natural edge (this is a complete slice) shows a texture and weathering rim different from any NWA (1929) pieces I have seen. More importantly, the internal texture is very different form NWA (1929). This has a similar light gray background matrix but the inclusions in this are far different. One roughly 1cm sized inclusion is really interesting. It is an almost microscopic mix of white and orange brown crystals – looking much like a shrunk down piece of Dhofar (007). This is in a plastic box and has a Michael Farmer label.
8.48 gram complete slice – 45mm x 27mm x 2mm - $150
NWA (2871): Achondrite (Lodranite). Found 2003. Tkw = 2.5kg.
This was originally classified as an Acapulcoite and was supposed to be switched to Lodranite due to its large grain size (slower cooling, deeper buried in their shared parent body). I have seen a note or paper on this (by Ted Bunch I believe). Unfortunately, it seems that this has not been officially changed in the Meteoritical Bulletin yet. This is a triangular shaped part slice that has one cut edge. It is a Lang Collection piece that is in a Riker mount and has the Lang label. The original price on this was $1345 and even that was not on the high end of prices I have seen on this material. I have a few pieces of this in my inventory but nothing nearly this large or nice.
16.4 gram slice – 40mm x 30mm x 3mm - $985
ROUND TOP (b), Texas: (H4). Found before 1939. Tkw = 7166 grams.
This is a stone that Oscar Monig turned up and these all come with a Monig Collection label. I have only a few pieces of this.
1) Slices; all have natural edges/ no cuts.
a) 4.8 grams – 35mm x 12mm x 4mm - $15
b) 8.0 grams – 35mm x 19mm x 4mm - $24
c) 11.1 grams – 40mm x 17mm x 5mm - $33
SaU (290), Oman: Carbonaceous (CH3). Found 2004. Tkw = 1.796kg.
Thanks to the Sutter's Mill fall in California (believed, at this point, to be some kind of odd carbonaceous chondrite), I have had collectors asking about other weird carbonaceous chondrites I have (the reason I am "re-listing" this now. I offered pieces on an e-mail offering a couple years ago). This does not look like much – some sparse fine metal grains in a dark brown matrix. But, this is only the second CH I have seen and the only one I have had to sell.
1) Slices:
a) .57 grams – 8mm x 7mm x 3mm - $60
b) .73 grams – 11mm x 7mm x 3mm - $75
c) 6.40 grams – 32mm x 25mm x 3mm - $690
SEYMCHAN, Russia: Stony-iron. (Pallasite). Found 1967.
This is a wonderful little end piece from a really pallasitic piece of this find and very rare as such. I have only seen a couple end pieces of this and they have all been quite large (I have 6.7kg one myself). Even better, this is really thin so you get the surface area of a slice but in the form of an end piece. This is definitely a piece that collectors of end pieces should consider.
25.1 gram end piece – 50mm x 40mm x 5mm - $200
1853 PROOF SILVER DOLLAR (US): Mintage – about 12 pieces.
This is, by far, the single most expensive coin I have ever owned. However it is also, by far, the rarest US coin I have ever owned (I have a few foreign coins that have slightly lower supposed mintage numbers). This is technically a "restrike" as the mint did not make any proof dollars in the actual year of 1853 (coin collecting was not at all an in thing then, there were virtually no collectors at that point). This was made a bit later – probably around 1862. At that point coin collecting in the US was beginning to take off and collectors began to notice that they needed an 1853 proof dollar to fill a hole in their collection. The mint director was only happy to oblige (often using such later made pieces to trade for "Washington Medals" to fill in holes in his collection of those). There are no clear records of exactly how many were made of these. Interestingly, proof coins in that era were not considered to be actual coins (money-wise anyway, but they were preferred by collectors) and did not have to be accounted for in mint records. There were some records thought that indicated that only "dozen" of these pieces were struck (and the number of pieces known of this coin do supports this). I have had a few people (potential buyers) complain that this is kind of not valid as it is a "restrike" (even after being told how and why this coin came into existence). However, this was indeed made at the Philadelphia mint, under direction of the mint director, using full mint equipment so this would really be better termed a "Novodel" – a term often used for the more famous 1804 dollars. Those super famous pieces which are worth, thanks to that fame, between $2 million and $4 million apiece now are actually a tiny bit more common than this coin (15 known versus around 12) all had their origin in later years as restrikes for collectors just as this coin did.
1853 PCGS slabbed Proof 55 silver dollar - $13,000
Blaine Reed
P.O. Box 1141
Delta, CO 81416
Ph/fax (970) 874-1487
…………………………………………………………………LIST 121
May 22, 2012
Dear Collectors,
I had to get back from the eclipse trip earlier than I had expected. It turns out that I had a big heating/cooling system job that got scheduled for starting today (or I could wait another few weeks for the next available time with the installers. With temperatures already hitting the 90's and soon to be 100's I want this system running as soon as possible). There is already a five foot deep trench across my driveway (barely had time to get my cars on the other side before they started digging this morning.
The eclipse was quite enjoyable. It was not the jaw dropping spectacle that a full eclipse is but it was still pretty cool to see the sun turn into a thin ring of light. It was really surprising how few people knew (or cared) what was going on. I guess they were all in a hurry to get back home to their bread and circuses.
As with the last list, there are quite a few specimens here that are Lang collection origin and labeled. There are also some that are TCU/ Monig collection labeled and some are Mike Farmer labeled. I'll make note of these in their descriptions.
CAMEL DONGA, Australia: Achondrite (Eucrite). Found 1984. Tkw = 30+kg.
Here are a few small pieces I picked up in Tucson and promptly forgot about. The "end piece" is highly polished and has a nice interior texture but no crust on the back side. The other 2 pieces are partial individuals that have around 50% or so crust coverage. These are somewhat weathered so I suspect that they are relatively recent recoveries but they do still flow lines and some shiny crust.
a) 2.7 gram end piece – 20mm x 11mm x 9mm - $40
b) 3.5 gram ½ stone – 20mm x 12mm x 10mm - $55
c) 4.7 gram ~ ½ stone – 21mm x 14mm x 11mm - $75
DAR al GANI (332), Libya: Carbonaceous (CO3). Found 1997. Tkw = 280 grams.
This is undoubtedly another piece (and my last one I believe) of the large number of DaG (CO3) meteorites that got many different numbers assigned to them but (many anyway) were likely from a strewn field formed during a single fall even long ago. This is an unpolished complete slice (and has a lighter color and more visible chondrules than the polished pieces I had earlier). This is in a Riker box and has a Lang Collection label.
26.8 gram complete slice – 48mm x 37mm x 6mm (a bit wedged actually) - $240
DAR al GANI (429),, Libya: Carbonaceous. (C3), ungrouped. Found 1998. Tkw = 253grams.
I really suspect that the total on this is really closer to 800grams as DaG (430) is also an ungrouped C3 meteorite. These are rare enough (I have only had a few over all the years) that I would really be surprised if these two were not paired. This is a Lang Collection labeled vial of fragments (small up to around 5mm x 10mm in size) in a glass bottle in a Riker mount. This looks very fresh as it is very light gray in color and the largest fragment has a small sanded area that shows lots of metal. Interesting and no doubt rare.
5.1 grams of fragments in vial - $175
NWA (801): Carbonaceous (CR2). Found 2001. Tkw = 5kg+.
This has always been one of my favorite meteorites texturally. This piece does not show quite as well as some as it has been highly polished. Polishing has made this a little darker overall but closer inspection reveals lots of metal hiding in this slice. Most of it is surrounding chondrules (lots of armored chondrules in this) but some is as round blebs or metal "chondrules" (I have seen them called such in some research work). This piece is in a nice plastic box and has a Michael Farmer label.
4.47 gram complete slice – 35mm x 17mm x 3mm - $100
NWA (1939): Achondrite (Howardite). Found 2003. Tkw = 100.4 grams.
At first glance, I thought that this was likely just another piece of the NWA (1929) howardite (probably the most commonly available NWA howardite, listed under many different numbers) with a miss-typed label. Closer inspection shows that this is very likely NOT the case. The natural edge (this is a complete slice) shows a texture and weathering rim different from any NWA (1929) pieces I have seen. More importantly, the internal texture is very different form NWA (1929). This has a similar light gray background matrix but the inclusions in this are far different. One roughly 1cm sized inclusion is really interesting. It is an almost microscopic mix of white and orange brown crystals – looking much like a shrunk down piece of Dhofar (007). This is in a plastic box and has a Michael Farmer label.
8.48 gram complete slice – 45mm x 27mm x 2mm - $150
NWA (2871): Achondrite (Lodranite). Found 2003. Tkw = 2.5kg.
This was originally classified as an Acapulcoite and was supposed to be switched to Lodranite due to its large grain size (slower cooling, deeper buried in their shared parent body). I have seen a note or paper on this (by Ted Bunch I believe). Unfortunately, it seems that this has not been officially changed in the Meteoritical Bulletin yet. This is a triangular shaped part slice that has one cut edge. It is a Lang Collection piece that is in a Riker mount and has the Lang label. The original price on this was $1345 and even that was not on the high end of prices I have seen on this material. I have a few pieces of this in my inventory but nothing nearly this large or nice.
16.4 gram slice – 40mm x 30mm x 3mm - $985
ROUND TOP (b), Texas: (H4). Found before 1939. Tkw = 7166 grams.
This is a stone that Oscar Monig turned up and these all come with a Monig Collection label. I have only a few pieces of this.
1) Slices; all have natural edges/ no cuts.
a) 4.8 grams – 35mm x 12mm x 4mm - $15
b) 8.0 grams – 35mm x 19mm x 4mm - $24
c) 11.1 grams – 40mm x 17mm x 5mm - $33
SaU (290), Oman: Carbonaceous (CH3). Found 2004. Tkw = 1.796kg.
Thanks to the Sutter's Mill fall in California (believed, at this point, to be some kind of odd carbonaceous chondrite), I have had collectors asking about other weird carbonaceous chondrites I have (the reason I am "re-listing" this now. I offered pieces on an e-mail offering a couple years ago). This does not look like much – some sparse fine metal grains in a dark brown matrix. But, this is only the second CH I have seen and the only one I have had to sell.
1) Slices:
a) .57 grams – 8mm x 7mm x 3mm - $60
b) .73 grams – 11mm x 7mm x 3mm - $75
c) 6.40 grams – 32mm x 25mm x 3mm - $690
SEYMCHAN, Russia: Stony-iron. (Pallasite). Found 1967.
This is a wonderful little end piece from a really pallasitic piece of this find and very rare as such. I have only seen a couple end pieces of this and they have all been quite large (I have 6.7kg one myself). Even better, this is really thin so you get the surface area of a slice but in the form of an end piece. This is definitely a piece that collectors of end pieces should consider.
25.1 gram end piece – 50mm x 40mm x 5mm - $200
1853 PROOF SILVER DOLLAR (US): Mintage – about 12 pieces.
This is, by far, the single most expensive coin I have ever owned. However it is also, by far, the rarest US coin I have ever owned (I have a few foreign coins that have slightly lower supposed mintage numbers). This is technically a "restrike" as the mint did not make any proof dollars in the actual year of 1853 (coin collecting was not at all an in thing then, there were virtually no collectors at that point). This was made a bit later – probably around 1862. At that point coin collecting in the US was beginning to take off and collectors began to notice that they needed an 1853 proof dollar to fill a hole in their collection. The mint director was only happy to oblige (often using such later made pieces to trade for "Washington Medals" to fill in holes in his collection of those). There are no clear records of exactly how many were made of these. Interestingly, proof coins in that era were not considered to be actual coins (money-wise anyway, but they were preferred by collectors) and did not have to be accounted for in mint records. There were some records thought that indicated that only "dozen" of these pieces were struck (and the number of pieces known of this coin do supports this). I have had a few people (potential buyers) complain that this is kind of not valid as it is a "restrike" (even after being told how and why this coin came into existence). However, this was indeed made at the Philadelphia mint, under direction of the mint director, using full mint equipment so this would really be better termed a "Novodel" – a term often used for the more famous 1804 dollars. Those super famous pieces which are worth, thanks to that fame, between $2 million and $4 million apiece now are actually a tiny bit more common than this coin (15 known versus around 12) all had their origin in later years as restrikes for collectors just as this coin did.
1853 PCGS slabbed Proof 55 silver dollar - $13,000
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