[meteorite-list] CR2 prices ruin......

From: Meteordealer <meteor.dealer_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:55:47 2004
Message-ID: <00fb01c19fb3$abd04500$bb753d04_at_vz.dsl.genuity.net>

   Actually, the only prices being forced down tremendously are other
Moroccan finds. Legitimate finds and falls have held steady with many
steadily rising in price, especially American and European meteorites. I
have watched several common American chondrites rise in price 2 or 3 fold
just over the past 6 months or so. It appears that collectors are becoming
tired of NWA's and other Moroccan finds are beginning to revert back to
recognized, named, falls and finds and are willing to pay a premium to do
so. Don't get me wrong, Moroccan meteorites are a blessing to those who
couldn't afford the rare types before but unfortunately they are also VERY
volatile in their value. A lot of people were saying that the Moroccan flood
would be the downfall of the meteorite market but it appears to have
actually strengthened the market, at least as far as NON Moroccan meteorites
are concerned.

Brad Sampson
meteor.dealer_at_gte.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Blood" <mlblood_at_cox.net>
To: "Robert Verish" <bolidechaser_at_yahoo.com>
Cc: "Meteorite-list Meteoritecentral" <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2002 5:54 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] CR2 prices ruin......


> Rob, Matteo and all,
> I just gotta laugh! As I been sayin' in my column in
> VOYAGE!, the meteorite market has not been this good
> since the 60s & 70s.
> The flood of material from Africa, and, more importantly,
> the American buyers' "invasion of Africa" have forced prices
> down tremendously!
> Now, I have actually had a respected dealer tell me he
> LIKED the guy who stole from a museum, "...because he drove
> the prices up on meteorites to what they are really worth."
> Are you shi..ing me!? What is WRONG with some dealers
> that they somehow think HIGH prices are "better" than low
> prices??? I don't get it. My customers still spend about the
> same amount of $ with me - they just get MORE for their
> $! AND, I have never been so prolific in adding to my collection!
> In the last year and a half, I have nearly trippled my collection! -
> more, if you count in terms of "value" or rarity instead of just
> # of pieces. Why? BECAUSE I CAN AFFORD TO! If a customer
> spends $100 with me now and gets 10 grams of something, how
> is that less desirable than 2 years ago he spent $100 with me
> and got 1 gram of the same material? I still mark up the same
> % - well, a little less, but basically, I am making a percentage - and
> my customer is getting MUCH more for his $! AND I can also
> get much more (in meteorites) for MY $ for my own collection.
> So, where is the down side?
> Well, there IS a "down" side - but ONLY for dealers. One can
> no longer afford to buy ANYTHING and "sit on it" for ANY amount
> of time! You gotta buy/sell almost overnight - that is why I do sell
> stuff for less % markup now - GOTTA move it - it might go down in
> price. Now, I definately HAVE sold stuff that way only to have it
> go UP in price - sometimes by a lot, but hay, I made my mark up and
> played it safe.
> Time was, no matter how much I bought, it was a GREAT investment,
> as it could only go up (with very few exceptions). Now, no one
> knows day to day - but, GREAT buys to be had! When Africa dries
> up, as it most certainly will, THESE will be the days we look back
> on as THE GOLDEN YEARS. It might be in 4 months or 4 years or even
> more, but you can be SURE this "glut" will stop - and when it does,
> supply/demand will quickly drive prices up.
> So, I get all I can of as much stuff as I can and save as big a piece
> as possible of everything for my own collection NOW - in time, sooner
> or later, it will be back up in price, making getting more very, very
> difficult. Each and every one of us will, one day, kick ourselves in the
> ass, and say, "MAN, I could have gotten as much as I wanted of -----
> for ----$ a gram back in ought two!"
> Hay, what days we live in, eh?
> Best wishes, Michael
>
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Received on Thu 17 Jan 2002 07:04:16 PM PST