[meteorite-list] ID cards

[David Weir]

Dear List,

I remember when dealers used to give ID cards that were actually made 
from card stock, or at least thick paper. Perhaps those who sell 
thousands of specimens a year figure their businesses can save a few 
dollars by going to flimsy paper for their ID cards, that's their 
business decision. I personally don't like these flimsy paper "cards" 
because they get bent and tear easily and just aren't compatible with 
the real cards that I receive from the vast majority of dealers. I am 
hesitant to pass these flimsy pieces of paper on to others when I trade 
away or sell different specimens because they just make the specimen 
seem cheap somehow, comparable to the cheap paper used. I just don't 
understand how any highly successful meteorite business selling in a 
worldwide market and trying to maintain a high standard of excellence 
can provide such crappy (as in cow crappy) ID papers. I find it hard to 
imagine a reason to do this, except of course if the cost of the card 
stock for the card would be a significant portion of the sales profit, 
such as in a Bessy speck. I'm not referring to that situation. I have 
never seen this issue brought up on the list before and so I am 
fearlessly bringing it up. Those who take offense are welcome to throw 
crap at me, I have my Tyvek suit on and really don't care. I just get 
tired of dealers calling flimsy paper IDs "ID Cards", but I'll get over 
it in a few minutes.

David
The Weir Meteorite Collection
meteoritestudies .com