[meteorite-list] What are we doing? Ahhhh!

[AL Mitterling]

Hi Ruben and all,

People who think their rock is worth $300,000 or millions is because of 
hype by the news media. They will mention some rare type specimen which 
sold for or which is estimated by some personnel of some museum, school 
or college (and probably don't have the foggiest notion of what space 
rocks are truly worth) to be worth six or seven figures. There fore 
anyone with any rock or meteorite find, will automatically think their 
rock is worth that much because it is "THEIR" rock.
In reality any meteorite is ultimately _worth_ what someone will pay for 
the specimen. In some cases rarity, low total known weight or some 
unusual circumstance dictates the true price.

Having checked out about a thousand plus leads over the years what truly 
gets me is the people who do not have a meteorite going from dealer to 
dealer or museum or university and trying to get someone to say their 
rock is a meteorite when it simply isn't a meteorite. I've got a guy 
over in Ohio who has wasted countless of peoples time and will not 
accept the facts.

What scares me about your contact is the fact they are from China and 
probably have a dag nab Nan tan worth much less than I would pay and 
yes, it could be that true one exception of a case who truly have a 
unique meteorite but then that's a one to a ten thousand chance.

In the end all we can do is educated and set people straight (if they 
will listen) and let them know the realities of buying space rocks. All 
my best!

--AL Mitterling

Ruben Garcia wrote:

>Hi all,
>I get so many emails from people that think they've
>found a meteorite. It's ok, that's what I signed up
>for when I put up a website and videos designed to
>teach.
>
>But I hate when someone sends me an email like this
>one. He wants $300,000 for this? Yet he doesn't even
>tell me its type or classification! For all I know
>it's a Gibeon. Maybe he stole it.... I don't know!
>But what makes him think he can sell it for this
>amount?  
>
>What are we doing that makes everyone think their rock
>is priceless?
>
>Hello,
> 
>1.My aerolite. That's about weight 300kg. How money
>buy? us?/g?
>2.My tell: 15801098322
>3.Aerolite about outside measurement 80cm X 46cm X
>38cm .
>4.I'm sorry. I dou't speak English.  I'm china.
>5.(Picture) http://i.cn.yahoo.com/aerolite
>6.Certificate to appraise. Is very authority section
>or men.
> 
>
>
>Ruben Garcia
>Phoenix, Arizona
>http://www.mr-meteorite.com
>  
>