[meteorite-list] Re: Beanie Baby's etc.

From: Rhett Bourland <rbourlan_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:50:28 2004
Message-ID: <IOEBKAHMGFBDJMOFGDFNKEDODKAA.rbourlan_at_evansville.net>

Personally, I thought the idea was rather juvenile. Meteorites are
scientific items that most people (self included) collect because of their
scientific value and beautiful appearance. Beanie Babies are generally
(from what I've seen at least) collected by people who hope to make money by
buying cute little stuffed animals (kids excluded). While I certainly
welcome any and all new collectors to our wonderous hobby, the thought of
people collecting them with the same attitude and habbits as Beanie
collectors makes me cringe (sorry to any of you who collect them). From
what I've been able to tell the scientific community isn't always real wild
about the idea of private individuals competing for new and exotic finds and
my big fear is if totally commercial collector/dealers would get ahold of a
new rare meteorite (such as a Lodranite or totally and anomolous
carbonaceous chondrite) the scientific community, and hence all of us, could
lose out by the scientific community not getting very much at all because
that new rare find would be promoted the same way the Princess Di Beanie
Baby was which would put it out of reach of most institutions and is a very
valid concern if you ask me. I know I may sound rather hypocritical because
I love getting those new and exotic meteorites (and thank you to all the
dealers who have provided me that opportunity) but I know I just wouldn't
feel comfortable having a meteorite that hasn't been properly studied which
is what I fear will happen if the same attitude of Beanie collecting is
applied to meteorites. It also, to me at least, seems to cheapen the
scientific importance of meteorites which contain the clues to our world's
very existence to the and how we got here by putting them on the level of
collectable little trinkets and tying them to stuffed animals.
I apologize if I'm sounding overly critical and I must admit that I'm biased
here. People who spend very much time with me learn two things fairly
quickly; one is how much I absolutely love meteorites and the other (for
various reasons) is how much I hate really truly have a deep seeded hatred
of Beanie Babies and the way that people will go insane over stuffed
animals.
By 4 cents,
Rhett Bourland
www.asteroidmodels.com
www.asteroidmodels.com/personal
www.meteoritecollectors.org
-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-admin_at_meteoritecentral.com]On Behalf Of MARK BOSTICK
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 8:34 PM
To: Chuck; meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
Subject: [meteorite-list] Re: Beanie Baby's etc.


Come on now Chuck, most people don't even know meteorite exist. How many
times have you told someone your interested in meteorites to have them
respond "What is that?" or "What do you do with them?". How many meteorite
collectors do you think there are? How many Beanie Babies collectors do you
think there are? I would bet a lot more Beanie Babie collectors. Personally
I thought the auctions are funny. It apparently made you take a look and
therefore served there purpose.

I do not see how I am "cheapening the sale of meteorites". Which, since you
brought it up.... Most people would agree that many meteorites have lost
value the last couple years, this for me has been a good thing. I have been
able to build a bigger meteorite collection then I would have ever dreamed.

While I will agree I could have put more thought into tie the beanie with a
meteorite from its homeland. (Does anyone know where most the storks live?)
I did manage a crab with an Imilac and an african meteorite with a rhino.

I do apologize if you feel I have hurt or devalued your collection in
anyway. As I do not know you, it was not my intent.

I suppose you wouldnt think my meteorite-comic books auctions for next week
is a bad ideal as well......just kidding.

Mark Bostick "The Big Collector"
----- Original Message -----
From: Chuck
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 8:05 PM
To: thebigcollector_at_msn.com
Subject: Beanie Baby's etc.

  Mark,
Please stop cheapening the sale of Meteorites with all the other items that
you offer for sale.
When you combine all of it together they look like Garage sale/Flea Market
items. You are hurting all of us and Yourself when you do this.
What you need to do is to organize everything into separate Groups and your
Meteorites into Type and Location, please sell your Meteorites by themselves
remember .. what you are doing hurts us and YOU !.


           Chuck Jenkins

talktochuck_at_cox.net
Received on Sat 20 Apr 2002 12:29:10 AM PDT