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Alongside more conventional investments such as real estate, stocks and ETFs, many individuals choose to buy valuable substances from around the world. Some of those substances aren’t actually from this world, with auctions for authentic meteorites drawing attention from countless speculators and driving prices up.
Are Meteorites Worth Any Money?
Meteorites can be worth a lot of money, driven by significant interest from collectors around the world. How much is a meteorite worth? At an auction, meteorites can range into hundreds of thousands of dollars, although many sell for just a few thousand.
Fragments of the Moon or Mars are sometimes blasted into space by impacts and work their way to Earth. These are among the most highly sought-after and expensive meteorites.
Meteorites themselves aren’t the only valuable items created by impacts. Items struck by meteorites also sell for high prices, such as a doghouse from Costa Rica that was struck by a meteorite. The dog wasn’t hit, and the corrugated sheet metal doghouse went on to sell for $44,000.
How Much Is a 1-Pound Meteorite Worth?
The exact worth of a meteorite varies depending on the specific type of meteorite in question. An 82-pound iron meteorite originating from an asteroid recently sold for $44,100 — about $540 per pound. Other meteorites fetch much more. A unique 4-pound pallasite meteorite featuring crystals of olivine and peridot recently sold for $60,480. That’s over $15,000 per pound!
Pieces of Mars rock can command similar prices, with a 4.25-pound piece selling for $63,000, approximately $15,000 per pound. Meteorites from the Moon are even more valuable. A 406-gram lunar meteorite sold for $189,000. That works out to more than $200,000 per pound.
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How Can I Tell If I Found a Meteorite?
Meteorites are incredibly rare, with just over 64,000 known meteorites existing in collections today. It’s not common for everyday people to come across them — especially with more than two-thirds being held outside of the ownership of the general public, such as the ones in research and museum facilities.
However, there are steps to take if you think you’ve found a meteorite and want to know for sure. First, meteorites are much denser than most rocks found on the surface. They’re also very likely to be magnetic due to their iron content. Another thing to look for is the fusion crust, a thin crust formed when the meteorite’s outer layer melts as it enters the atmosphere.
If what you’ve found has light-colored crystals or bubbles, it’s not a meteorite.
Anyone who believes they have a meteorite will need professional verification. Reaching out to a state geological survey, a museum or a university with a geology department is the perfect place to start.
Taking Advantage of Today’s Meteorite Prices
Anyone looking for unconventional investment opportunities might consider investing in meteorites. These unique natural collectibles are reaching a wider audience than ever before and could provide an interesting centerpiece and a solid investment opportunity.
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FAQs
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. Rarer stones can fetch up to $1000 per gram if they're in good condition.
How much is a meteorite worth? ›
Meteorite values can range from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Are meteorites are attracted to magnets? Nearly all meteorites contain a significant amount of extraterrestrial iron, even those that look similar to terrestrial rocks (stony meteorites).
How much is 1g of meteorite? ›
Generally, meteorites are worth between $2 and $4 per gram, which means a 1 kg meteorite could be worth up to $4000. However, some meteorites can be worth much more than that depending on their composition and other factors.
Can I sell a meteorite I found? ›
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.
How do you get a meteorite appraised? ›
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.
How much is a 1 lb meteorite worth? ›
Stone meteorites are worth between $2.00 and $20 per gram but could exceed $1,000 per gram. That means a one pound iron meteorite could be worth more than $2,000 while a one pound stone meteorite could get you $9,000. So how do you know if it's a meteorite? The Washington University in St.
Is it illegal to pick up meteorite? ›
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.
How can I sell a meteorite? ›
Option 1: Sell meteorites or tektites on eBay, or social networking platforms like Facebook.
- PROS: Maximize your sale price.
- CONS: May require a significant amount of time to sell your collection. Requires a great deal of upfront effort and must be able to take adequate pictures and create good descriptions.
A 12-pound (5.5 kilogram) chunk of the moon that fell to the Earth as a lunar meteorite has been sold at auction for more than $600,000.
What is a 30 lb meteorite worth? ›
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.
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.
How do you tell if you've found a meteorite? ›
I think I found a meteorite. How can I tell for sure?
- Density: Meteorites are usually quite heavy for their size, since they contain metallic iron and dense minerals.
- Magnetic: Since most meteorites contain metallic iron, a magnet will often stick to them. ...
- Unusual shape: iron-nickel meteorites are rarely rounded.
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.
How can I tell if my rock is a meteorite? ›
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.
How can you tell if a meteorite is real? ›
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.
How can I tell if I found a meteorite? ›
Magnetic: Since most meteorites contain metallic iron, a magnet will often stick to them. For “stony” meteorites, a magnet might not stick, but if you hang the magnet by a string, it will be attracted. Unusual shape: iron-nickel meteorites are rarely rounded.
