[meteorite-list] New Find

[MexicoDoug at aol.com]

John, Wow, another oriented metal meteorite, too  bad it wasn't as big as 
Steve's!  Best thing to do is not to count your  chickens before they hatch, 
though, nor put the cart before the horse.   Find out when these guys have office 
hours at UCLA and bring your potential  treasure to show  them:

http://www.ess.ucla.edu/researchers/rubin/index.asp
http://www.ess.ucla.edu/faculty/wasson/

If  they have a moment to offer you, you will be in some of the best hands in 
the  science, as academic institutions are the only definitive places to get 
you  meteorite authenticated and CLASSIFIED, and it just so happens a lot of 
the book  on classifications of irons was written at UCLA.  If not, there are 
plenty  of experts that can authenticate meteorites in your area, or dealers in 
the  stuff that at least give you some pointers: 
(www.michaelbloodmeteorites.com if  you are in San Diego), try Michael and see if he likes it.  He gets 
lots of  inquiries on this stuff.

Once it is authenticated, then come back and ask  about everything else and 
there will be plenty of people helping you.  If  you want take a digital photo 
now and post us a link, or mail it to me and  everyone else who wants and we 
can look at it and see what we make of it.   While it is usually difficult for 
rusted chunks of metal by image, certain  morphology (shapes) on the iron cou
ld be pretty convincing to list  members...

Best of luck and please let us know!
Saludos,  Doug


John wrote:
It looks like I may have an oriented Iron  4-5  pound class.

In SoCal.....wondering how best to maximize the  value and  the procedures to 
take.

Should I get a slice taken  and the specs on that  operation....and send to a 
college for ID and  type?  And then try to  market?

Or simply try to find a  collector who may want to buy it?

Thank you for any  suggestions.

John