[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Impersonating an officer

Hello All,

With respect to those recovering specimens and prices now being paid, I think 
there are a number of things also being overlooked. With the gram price being 
so high, one also has to consider the cost involved in slicing these, saw 
blades which aren't cheap, labor, the saws cost, and meteorite loss when 
cutting all adds to the gram price. After this some money must be made to make 
it worth the effort, after all none of us provide services or work if we can't 
make ends meet for the year. 

I would say (from my stand point) that buying the specimens are only about 1/3 
of the cost of the specimen out of the field. If one is paying a very high 
price then you can expect the final cost when trying to sell to be double or 
triple when then trying to market these. Making the material all that more 
difficult to sell.

There are many hardships,miles and time spent by dealers trying to acquire 
meteorites. If meteorites were sold by the milage and time they would truly be 
outrageous. On the flip side of the coin someone has worked long hours at a job 
which is also a hardship, under stress (at most jobs these days) and may have 
to put in several weeks work to buy a nice 50 to 100 gram specimen. Perhaps 
more if this specimen is selling for $10 or more a gram.

I would like to see meteorite collecting remain possible for the average person 
but just like an auction where people hate bid on an item they could buy at the 
store for half of what they are bidding on, I think this overbidding on 
specimens is very bad for collecting and collectors. It will also be bad when 
no one is going to be willing to track down specimens because the finders are 
asking too much to make it worth the effort. This may be the fallout of all of 
this overpricing producing loss material in the future.


I for one will not spend the outrageous sums now being asked for some of this 
more ordinary material. If I have a reason to want a special specimen I will 
consider the value I am getting. I think the Lunar meteorites are high but 
fairly priced considering the quantity of this material available now.

I hope that things begin to simmer down some now and people will come to their 
senses and realize that there is a saturation point where interest WILL drop 
off either collector wise, institution or even private sector and many holding 
specimens may end up selling for less than paid to get some of there money back 
on these over priced pieces from space. There are many markets in this world 
and all of them high and low points. Lets hope this one doesn't correct itself 
to the point that no one will be able to sell.

--AL Mitterling
Mitterling Meteorites

TO UN-SUBSCRIBE: 
----------------
Send an email To: 
meteorite-list-request@meteoritecentral.com 
with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject field of your 
email. That's all there is to it!
----------------
Thank You