[meteorite-list] Meteor-wrongs being sold on ebay by listees

From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:31:26 -0400
Message-ID: <g2ye51421551004181131q72890922ye2a6a9f1114024d_at_mail.gmail.com>

Hi Warren, Ken and List,

I will take a stab at this issue.

I buy bulk lots of UNWA stones and I sell them less frequently. I
find a lot of sand-colored meteorwrongs and the black magnetite
meteorwrongs that Ken mentioned. But I don't find the frequency to be
increasing. Part of this is because I choose my sources carefully.

Since I don't deal with unclassified material in great volume (like
some other list members), I can personally go through each stone with
a magnet and a careful eye. I think I manage to cull out the vast
majority of meteorwrongs and I have a growing pile of them in a box.
If I find some interesting meteorwrongs, I will sell them - clearly
identified as wrongs and not meteoritic. I find that there is a
market for wrongs if clearly sold as such to collectors who enjoy a
good meteorwrong - like Plutorano, Shirokovsky, or Mendota.

If I was to sell a bulk lot of unclassifieds to a buyer and that buyer
found meteorwrongs and wished to return them, I would glady accept
them, refund their value and the return shipping.
So far, that hasn't happened.

I would expect that most dealers on this list would do the same if in
a similar situation. To not make the situation right is to invite
disaster. As we all know, the meteorite collector world is a small
place and news travels fast - and memories are long. So while their
might be an endless supply of unsuspecting buyers on eBay, any dealer
who is knowingly passing off wrongs as meteorites and/or not making
that situation right when it arises, is cutting their own throat in
the collector circles.

Best regards and happy huntings,

MikeG





On 4/18/10, Warren Sansoucie <warren3174 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Hello list,
>
> I was wondering what people think about some of the selling on Ebay in
> bulk. I'm not naming names here. I am however referring to list members that
> have sold me, over time, a sizable amount of hematite and magnetite and
> complete CRAPATITE.
>
> When I buy a bulk amount of unclassified NWAs, I have come to expect upon
> cutting or windowing a certain percentage of terrestrial debris. However,
> lately I have been getting rocks that look closer to bubble gum than
> meteorites.
>
> These items are obviously NOT even close to meteorites and I have suspicions
> that the sellers know this. I mean come on, once you look at a few thousand
> NWAs it becomes childs play to spot that all black chunk of magnetite....
> please stop throwing it on the scale and selling it.
>
> Lately, I feel my place in collecting NWAs has become the role of a filter
> to prevent others from having rusty red and black earth crayons.
>
> Is there anyone left on the list that has bulk NWA's for sale?
>
> Perhaps someone that picks out the obvious crap? I know there will always be
> a percentage of wrongs in the pile, that's a given. I just want the obvious
> wrongs taken out. I would also like to see listees willing to take the
> wrongs back in exchange or at least acknowledge what they did. The fact that
> I have wasted my saw life on certain specimens is poof to me that not all
> can be visually culled. I'm really only speaking of the obvious junk.
>
> If there is anyone left that is selling unclassifieds in bulk, please
> contact me.
>
> I window and cut many small specimens to take to local schools. The
> inspiration these can leave on young minds can often be life changing.
>
> Warren Sansoucie
>
>
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-- 
------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Gilmer - Galactic Stone & Ironworks Meteorites
http://www.galactic-stone.com
http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone
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Received on Sun 18 Apr 2010 02:31:26 PM PDT