How much a piece of Michigan meteorite could be worth and how to identify it against a rock (2024)

FAQs

How do you know how much a meteorite is worth? ›

The nature of the meteorite will play a big part in its value. Some unclassified meteorites will sell for around 50 cents per gram. More beautiful stones such as pallasites contain crystals and can look extremely dazzling when they're polished. Those can range all the way up to $40 dollars a gram.

Meteorites will usually display some unusual shapes called regmaglypts – these are fingerprint-shaped indentations or “dimples” that can occur on the surface of a meteorite. It's important to note that if you see these dimples, but no fusion crust, the rock you have is not a meteorite.

If your specimen isn't magnetic, it probably isn't a meteorite. Streak Test: Scratch your specimen on a ceramic tile. “Unless it is heavily weathered, a stony meteorite typically won't leave a streak mark on the ceramic.” (7) If the streak is black or gray, your sample is likely magnetite.

What to do if you think you have a meteorite? You may try contacting the Geological Survey of your state, a local college or university or college or a local natural history museum. In addition, there are a few commercial firms that will charge a fee for examining and identifying suspected meteorites.

We purchase individual meteorite specimens, entire collections, and also offer appraisal services. If you think you have found a meteorite, please start by reading our Guide to Meteorite Identification HERE. We also offer consignment services for important specimens, for a modest fee.

We do not accept physical samples without a preliminary visual (photo) inspection of a sample. ***Please note, most samples are NOT approved for physical submission. The fee for Preliminary Photo Evaluation of a suspected meteorite is: $50 per sample and is non-refundable.

Meteorites found on public lands may be casually collected by recreationists and hobbyists. The limit on the amount that may be casually collected is meteorite specimens up to ten pounds that can be easily hand-carried and transported, per person per year. Collection is from the surface only.

Slag is one of the substances most commonly mistaken for meteorites, as it appears burned and melted on the surface and often sticks to a magnet due to its high iron content. It is used in road and railroad building, as ballast, and even in the manufacture of fertilizer.

The longer a meteorite has been on Earth, however, the more the fusion crust wears away, leaving the meteorite a rusty brown color (see Canyon Diablo, below). While most meteorites have a smooth surface with no holes, some meteorites exhibit thin flow lines or thumbprint-like features called regmaglypts.

meteorites found on public lands are subject to the 1906 Antiquities Act (16 U.S.C. 432) a meteorite does not qualify as a “valuable mineral” as defined under the 1872 Mining Law, and thus it is not subject to mineral claim rights that could otherwise be filed by the discoverer.

Where can I go to authenticate a meteorite? ›

Perhaps your local natural history museum has days in which the staff identify samples brought in from the public. Perhaps you have a rock shop nearby that sells meteorites. See if they can put you in contact with their supplier, and this person may be an expert in meteorites.

Try not to handle any freshly fallen meteorites with your bare hands! Oils and microbes from your skin will slowly degrade the surface of a meteorite, dulling the fusion crust, contaminating the meteorite, and promoting rust.

Meteorite NWA 12691 was found in the Sahara Desert and weighs just under 30 pounds, It is valued at more than $2.5 million. A piece of the moon that's bigger than the rocks Apollo astronauts brought back to Earth is up for sale at the famed Christie's auction house.

Rocks, including meteorites, can be dated by looking at the ratios of certain radioactive isotopes (a method analogous to 'radiocarbon dating'). Most meteorites turn out to be about 4.56 billion years old, because they come from asteroids that date from the creation of the Solar System.

Meteorites can be collected for scientific and educational purposes, and can also be commercially collected. What are the authorities that govern collecting meteorites from public lands? The courts have long established that meteorites belong to the owner of the surface estate on which meteorites are found.