[meteorite-list] BLOG REPORT: DEAN AND FARMER LEAVING METEORITESFOREVER

[stan .]

>Mostly these are older collectors and dealers who
>has seen the price of the collections (Or inventory)
>drop in value over 90%.

just as a historical note I would point out that most 'old' collectors - (by 
my idea of 'old') have seen the price of their collections rise 1000% THEN 
drop by 90% - Not too long before zagami was 1000$/g it was 75$/g - before 
millbillillie and camel donga were 20$/g they were 2$/gram before johnstown 
was selling for 400$/gram it was 25$/gram. ect. The only prices that seem to 
have simply taken a nose dive were that of common chonderites. there was a 
true speculative mania in meteorites where the prices went up, up, and up 
even though the supply was racing up faster than the demand.

But will this trend last forever? I doubt it. Look at gibeon. I have seen 
estimates of there being as many as a million pounds of gibeon - if there 
are 10,000 active meteorite colelctors in the world thats enough for each 
one of us to have a 100 lbs of the stuff in our collection! not too many 
years ago there was plentifull gibeon on the market. I know dealers who 
passed it up by the truckload at 20$/lb because there would always be more. 
Then what happened? the supply was turned off at the source and now you are 
LUCKY if you can find a big gibeon and if you can it's price is going to be 
in the 200$/lb ballpark. If you were sitting on a big pile of gibeon a few 
years back you literally ahve yourself a goldmine today who's performance 
would make warren buffet drool. Will the prices of other meteorites - 
especially rare meteorites follow suit? who knows - all i can say is that as 
a collector I sure as heck dont mind being able to pick up achonderites for 
a few $/gram again (when you get a good deal)