[meteorite-list] Nininger, Henderson, and pricing meteorites

[MARK BOSTICK]

Hello All,

    Having researched Henderson and Nininger a lot, I thought I would add to 
my earlier comment on the price of meteorites.

     I wrote: "Also, the price paid for meteorites, unknown ones, at the 
time was around $0.05 a gram. $200 would be very close to the correct price 
to pay for a 90lb. stone and would be a very high price to pay for a 30lb. 
stone. Nininger was retailing stones around $0.10 a gram at this time."
To be even more honest $0.05 a gram, would be on the high end. I am really 
surprized Henderson offered $200.00, but maybe it took a few offers to get 
that much out of him.

     Henderson was greatly concerned about the price of meteorites when he 
took over duties of the Smithsonian collection. Before Henderson, Nininger 
talked with Merril. In Find a Falling Star, Nininger does not seen to think 
Merril really cared about meteorites, other then the cataloging of. So when 
Henderson first took over he was looking at prices he thought were crazy.  
When I wrote above that Nininger was retailing at $0.10, this is an average, 
not counting some stones that Nininger considered "rare". A few stones like 
Moreland, big stones that were weathered, Nininger only wanted around 
$0.05-$0.06 a gram for.

     Until Nininger, the Smithsonian was pretty good at getting a couple 
meteorites a year, donated at the request of, or purchased super cheap, from 
the finders.   And people like Stuart Perry would donate meteorites from 
time to time. There wasn't enough activity to appoint someone to meteorites, 
as Merril was the mineral curator. I know in Find a Falling Stars, Nininger 
noted he paid $1 a pound in the field.  Mind, you this was for Planeview a 
meteorite he already had a bunch of.  However, from what I have seen he paid 
at most $0.75 a pound.  The Smithsonian, seems to have been paying $0.50 a 
pound.  So when Nininger would turn around later and try to sell it by the 
gram to the Smithsonian, Henderson barked a few times. Nininger for some 
reason, wanted to cover things like field cost and his time.

     Henderson was often very blunt with Nininger, but they worked together 
for several years without problems.  Nininger would sent his large meteorite 
finds to the Smithsonian for cutting in which the Smithsonian would take a 
part of the meteorite in return for services.  They would also classify 
meteorites, and prove meteor-wrongs, (many of them). Often around 25% was 
taken for cutting, which Nininger seemed was quite high.  To be fair to 
Henderson, he showed Nininger that most of his cutting job's cost the 
Smithsonian, often around $500-600 in labor and supplies and always broke 
down the cost to him.  Nininger seemed to grit his teeth and take it.  I can 
only imagine Nininger's relief when he set up in Denver, "The Nininger 
Laboratory". Where he not cut meteorites for others......taking a share of 
it of course.

     The only time that Henderson and Nininger, really had it out, other 
then the selling of part of the collection to Britain, which Nininger pretty 
much just refused to talk so I can't really say they had it out then, was 
when Nininger helped recover the Goose Lake meteorite.

     Henderson and Nininger worked up a pricing scheme for meteorites once.  
On what they should pay in the field.  Henderson then enlisted others that 
played with meteorites and everyone agreed to it.  Nininger would later find 
out the Smithsonian willing to pay more and in Nininger's opinion. Cost him 
several meteorites.

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com