[meteorite-list] Nininger to Perry Letter; Aug. 25, 1952 "Tin Hat" Meteorite

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed May 5 10:00:14 2004
Message-ID: <BAY4-DAV116PtnhvCRo000008dc_at_hotmail.com>

(American Meteorite Museum Letterhead)
AMERICAN METEORITE MUSUEM
OPPOSITE METEOR CRATER ON HIGHWAY 66
POST OFFICE BOX 1171
WINSLOW ARIZONA

August 25, 1952
Dear Stuart:
I am sending by registered mail a little specimen which a man swears hit their drilling rig one morning when he came to work, then glanced off his "tin hat" and rolled into the grass where he picked it up immediately after first looking around to see if any of the men were close enough to have thrown a rock. Said he had seen the grass move where it bounced and had no trouble finding it right away.
This was a few miles southeast of Shiprock, N.M. where grass is pretty short and thin.
I would like you to study its surface features carefully and see if you think it could have been made artificially and whether you think if could have fallen from a plane, though he said no planes were passing over.
If you wish to etch a surface, please limit your polishing to the portion on its basal side where I have etched a small area. I want the remaining surface left as it is because I feel that this object deserves a lot of critical study. I find no nickel in it.
A number of non-nickeliferous hunks of metal have been brought in from remote areas. Some of them have had me puzzled for years and so this cannot be lightly cast aside. I'm sure you will treat the specimen with utmost care. If you wish to take it to Henderson, please do so and show him this letter. I suggest that you have a series of photographs made, enlarged, for each of us and for Henderson, if he wishes. Whatever this is I am sure it deserves very careful study. After studying it please return by registered mail. I think i may want to take it to the A.A.A. convention or to a geological meeting some time. Please give me your frank opinion of this thing.
Cordially,
(signed)
H.H. Nininger
HHN: AN




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