[meteorite-list] ID cards

Thu Nov 16 11:22:56 EST 2006

Very well written Martin.
Ebay is a wonderful thing but it has provided us with drawbacks as well. 
For the most part, most all want or expect a chance at something for 
nothing.
A dealer has to take it upon themselves to decide where to draw the 
line. In my business I have weeded out the cheapskates by only accepting 
paypal.  I require that the buyer pay insurance and delivery 
confirmation.  Anyone tries to jerk me around, after first attempt to 
reconcile, I put them on the banned bidder list. Yes it hurts my 
business but I don't have to work overtime with dead beats, non 
productive transactions, and do develop business with repeat customers 
with more money than myself.  I do give free specimens to valued 
customers-both old and new.  I have decided to take better pictures and 
write good discriptions. Maybe cards are a good thing for me to consider 
to increase the value to the valued customer.
We had discussed cards and a chain of custody in the past, infact, I 
send a water laboratory chain of custody form endorced by the EPA around 
to a couple folks for viewing.  It didn't float as it could have and 
drowned immediately.
Good luck,
Dave F.
Rock Springs, Wyoming (where meteorites do not fall)

Martin Altmann wrote:

>Hummm  Frederic,
>
>I think it's a little bit impolite to hand over to the collector an
>ID-plank, instead of an ID-card.
>How should one place such much information on a card, which is little larger
>than 1 or 2 matchbooks?
>
>I think the very rudimentary data are sufficient,
>almost each collector knows how to use the Blue Book or the Bulletin
>database, so that we don't have to put him under tutelage.
>And don't forget, for many of them it's a fun, to categorize and to sort
>their specimens by their own, to write their own specimen labels, to
>customize and to build up their own databases or written documentation and
>to hunt in the literature and web for more information about the individual
>locales. That's one aspect, which makes collecting so satisfying.
>Not to forget, that for some collectors also individual specimen cards are
>collectible items or trophies. If they all would look the same, it would be
>a little monotone, wouldn't it?
>(I like our new cards, yummy, they even do have a hologram...) 
>
>Huh and David,
>Close and tighten your Tyvek suit :-)
>
>Let's take the worst case of collectors for a dealer as an example:
>- They like to pay for the most exotic types 1 or 2 bucks per gram,
>everything else they take for an extortion. 
>- They are buying only Micro- and Nanomounts in the sub-gram range. 
>- But please, highly polished in at least 6 steps on both sides.
>- slices not thicker than 1mm, 
>- and absolutely coplanar.
>They're waiting to get that stuff on ebay, where not so seldom, such
>specimens die at 5$.
>- They want to have it delivered from all over the world within 3 days after
>auction has ended, 
>- but they don't want to pay more than 1$ shipment costs.
>- They want to have it sent registered 
>- and with insurance. 
>- If they aren't fully pleased with that specimen (or when they found the
>same locales meanwhile even more cheaper elsewhere), they want to send it
>back at the dealer's expense.
>- They want it to be well packed in a zip bag 
>- and in an air cushion envelope. 
>- For display it should come of course with a membrane box.
>- To avoid customs tax, they want to get the receipt sent separately by
>letter (of course on dealer's expense).
>
>And now, the dealer should also add a super-designed label, colour print,
>high gloss, laminated, professionally printed on deckle edged paper with a
>personal dedication?
>
>Ey David, in such cases it is by far cheaper and it would save so much time
>for a dealer to send to such a customer not only the money back, but to add
>a 10$ note, humbly thanking for the try to buy from him.
>
>Martin
>
>PS
>(Hmm, I'd like to have to have a flimsy paper ID-card from Mr.Chladni,
>Daubree, Cohen...)
>
>
>-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
>Von: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
>[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von
>Meteoriteshow
>Gesendet: Donnerstag, 16. November 2006 13:33
>An: David Weir; mark ford; meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>Betreff: Re: [meteorite-list] ID cards
>
>Hi,
>I guess that most of us are open to standardize meteorites' ID cards but I
>think that the main stage would be to standardize the
>information that should be stated on such cards, when available of course.
>The material that the card is made of is another issue and if we want to
>standardize this as well I'm quite sure that it won't reach
>any complete agreement of each member of the community...
>Here is a suggestion of what ID cards could mention:
>
>- Name of the meteorite, with mention whether it is official (Nom Com) or
>not (personal name or working name, when not yet
>classified or Nom Com approved)
>- Type, as accurate as possible (could be an estimation such as "OC", etc
>when it is stated that the meteorite was not classified)
>- Lab & sicentist who made the classification (when classified)
>- Reference of Met Bul # & year (when classified)
>- Place of find / fall, with if possible coordinates
>- TKW
>- Number of fragments
>- Main scientific infos when classified (Fa% / Fs% for OCs, W, S, etc...)
>- Specimen's weight
>- Remarks (such as specimen's description -slice, endcut, individual,
>fragment...- or possible pairings, etc...)
>- And of course the name of the collection it comes from (with infos such as
>website and e-mail addresses for instance)
>
>All the best,
>
>Frederic Beroud
>http://www.meteoriteshow.com
>IMCA member # 2491 (http://www.imca.cc/)
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "mark ford" <markf at ssl.gb.com>
>To: "David Weir" <dgweir at earthlink.net>;
><meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 12:50 PM
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] ID cards
>
>  
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
>>[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of David
>>Weir
>>Sent: 16 November 2006 10:47
>>To: Meteorite List
>>Subject: [meteorite-list] ID cards
>>
>>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
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>>
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>>    
>>
>
>
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