[meteorite-list] Meteorites & Competition (Government Bailout of the Meteorite Industry?)

[Galactic Stone & Ironworks]

Hi Adam,

You are right, I did jump to conclusions in my last post.  But, when I
heard meteorites being compared to McDonalds, it made me cringe.  The
last thing anyone wants is Meteorite Value Meals.............or is it?
  Hmmmm........ LOL

Best regards,

MikeG

PS - instead of making meteorites corporate, how about a government
bail out of the meteorite industry?  We could have CASH FOR RUSTERS!
Trade in your oxidized Dronino for a shiny new Sikhote Alin! ;)


On 11/14/09, Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Dear List,
>
>
> I think it is crazy to talk about corporate greed and meteorites at the same
> time. There are much simpler ways of earning money than chasing and selling
> meteorites.  You have to have a love for these rocks to engage at this
> level.  The overhead is astonishing while the returns are unpredictable in
> an incredibly thin market.  Risk management doesn't exist.
>
> I believe more corporate involvement is needed to push this avocation to the
> next level.  The IMCA is a perfect example of a positive corporate influence
> on a mostly misunderstood hobby. What lacks the most right now is customer
> service and value added reselling. Most new dealers do not even polish out
> the saw marks on slices, let alone polish both sides. Collectors pay for
> both sides of a complete slice, not just one. It is disrespectful to cut a
> meteorite and then not complete the job. A good polish is more important for
> reasons beyond aesthetics. Certification is the most important aspect of
> collecting and is consistently lacking when dealing with meteorites. One
> just needs to look at coins, baseball cards and most other collectibles to
> see they are nearly worthless without it.
>
> In virtually ever other collectibles market, there are standards in place
> thanks to corporate interest.  These days, some uninformed elements treat
> meteorites like commodities that are renewable.   Nothing could be further
> from the truth. The lack of appreciation for these rarities is really on
> full display during these hard times.  People forget that meteorites are
> millions of time rarer than gold that currently maintains a price of around
> $35.00/gram.  May I remind you that now only about 1/20th the amount of
> meteorites by weight is all that is coming out of Moroccan compared to just
> five years ago according to my calculations. It will not be long before the
> non-available Antarctic meteorites regain the volume title once again.
>
> I do appreciate the real nomadic meteorite hunters from Morocco and
> surrounding countries.  In my opinion, they are the best in world. It is
> what happens to meteorites after they leave the finders hands that concerns
> me.
>
> Standards, proper appreciation and corporate involvement are key to the
> long-term future.  I see a business-like environment helping in all of these
> regards.    Collectors deserve to have their investments protected.
>
> All the best,
>
> Adam
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-- 
.........................................................
Michael Gilmer (Florida, USA)
Member of the Meteoritical Society.
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