[meteorite-list] Current and future meteorite market

[MeteorHntr at aol.com]

Bob,

Just a slight suggestion:  The  Federal Trade Commission will not allow 
dealers to call meteorites "an  investment."  That term is only allowed with 
registered securities.   

Of course as a collector, you are free to call them what you like.   ;-)

And of course, politicians are exempt from the FTC regulations when  they 
call "raising taxes" "investments' into our economy.

"Collectibles,"  like "investments," are subject to the laws of supply and 
demand.  Of  course different meteorite specimens from different locations have 
their own  unique supply and demand dynamics, so what might apply to one 
meteorite may not  apply to another one.

Having said that, I personally think that over  time, we are going to see 
less supply and more demand for meteorites in  general.  While new finds are 
continually being made, and new falls occur  every so often, I think publicity on 
meteorites as a cool collectible is gaining  ground.

Also, there are a LOT of people at NASA that really need us to  put some men 
on Mars in the next couple of decades, their job security depends  on it.  
NASA has one of the best PR departments on the planet.  Expect  to see "positive" 
stories cranked out about NASA missions to space and to Mars  to escalate as 
to keep the money flowing to them from Congress.  In my  opinion, this can 
only help the demand side or the equation to grow.

Of  course, having said all that, the general economy always has to be taken 
into  account.  Nobody NEEDS another meteorite, collectors only WANT another  
meteorite.  So if the economy goes bad, we might expect that to have some  
downward pressure on what meteorites will sell for in the future.   Likewise, a 
better economy should put upward pressure on values.

I will  note, that I was told (although I don't know first hand) that Glen 
Huss was  selling out of the meteorites he had in the 1980's as he felt there 
was no way  the high prices could keep going up from the point they had reached 
back  then.  

I guess one man's mountain peak, might be another man's  valley.

Steve Arnold
Arkansas


In a message dated 3/17/2008  9:39:46 P.M. Central Daylight Time, 
bobe5531 at comcast.net writes:
Hello  List,

I don't believe that this is discussed nearly as much as it should  be 
discussed. I'm primarily a collector , occasionally a dealer and I'm  curious 
where my meteorite investments currently are and where they are  headed.
I don't sell nearly enough volume or to a large enough market to have  a good 
grasp on the current conditions and future expectations of the  meteorite 
market.
I'm curious to hear from the dealers overseas just as  well.
Is your clientele expanding? exponentially ? How are sales? Supply?  Trends 
?You get the picture.

It would behoove us all that are  investing substantial amounts of money to 
periodically examine the  market.

BTW- I know Michael Blood does a fine job with his " Meteorite  Market Trends 
" article, but I would like to get more than his  perspective.

Any comments ?

Thanks,
Bob  




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