[meteorite-list] Meteorite numbers

From: Michael Farmer <meteoritehunter_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Nov 20 22:56:10 2004
Message-ID: <006e01c4cf7e$0fcc4250$0200a8c0_at_S0031628003>

To clarify something that is obviously causing some problems in the
meteorite world right now, I want everyone to know that
NWA 788, 787, and NWA 482 are numbers that came from rather large or
meteorites with hundreds of pieces bought during one of my expeditions.
The Hupes and many other people have the right to those numbers.
Now, there are other numbers being widely used without proper title (as Dr
Grossman has stated publicly and with finality that people do not own
numbers, but numbers are assigned to specific meteorite specimens and must
not be used with other meteorites just because you heard or someone told you
it is the same).
Let's all please stop this practice as it is really hurting our business and
hobby. Virtually every dealer including myself has been or is guilty of
this, we are in the process of correcting the situation and to start people
MUST immediately comply or this will just spiral downward as we see tonight.

I perused eBay today and it is still rampant with sellers using numbers they
seem to have drawn from a hat. So please ask you seller next time you buy
something, how they got that number, who it was assigned to and if not them,
just how they came to call it that.
Mike Farmer
Received on Sat 20 Nov 2004 10:56:17 PM PST