[meteorite-list] Most expensive meteorites!

[Meteorites USA]

Though Ed is entitled to his opinion, I must disagree. Perhaps I 
misunderstand what he meant, and hope he's joking...

Ed, Your logic seems to be that collectors only collect because they are 
selfish, greedy people with a "my meteorite is bigger and better" 
mentality. On the contrary, meteorite collectors are some of the most 
generous and knowledgeable people I've ever met. Your statement says 
nothing about, and ignores "why" meteorite collectors collect meteorites 
at all.

Did it ever occur to you that collectors might collect because 
meteorites are intrinsically and historically interesting!? Or that 
collectors collect because they actually like the feeling it gives them 
to hold in their hand a rock older than the Earth!? Your statement also 
implies that private collectors should have no right to collect at all, 
is very clinical and unemotional to say meteorites should be about the 
science only. It's a damn good thing the world ain't run by people like 
that think this way. It's would be one helluva boring place! I hope you 
are not one of those that would see every meteorite on the planet in 
inaccessible collections, sitting in backroom/laboratory specimen 
drawers that never see the light of day, instead of letting the public 
enjoy them. This type of mentality is selfish, egotistical and a 
controlling travesty we have to deal with in this business. People that 
look down on others because they enjoy something, and try to control the 
access to meteorites by hoarding them in huge collections that the 
public does not have ready access to, are meteorite mongers in my 
opinion. No offense...

Collectors want to share the enjoyment of meteorite collecting by 
buying, selling, collecting, trading, sharing photos, and studying 
meteorites on their own and with like minded individuals within this 
great community. You know how many private collectors have microscopes 
sitting in their homes? Almost every collector I know does. Collectors 
study, admire, and collect meteorites not because they are "bigger and 
better" than the next guys, not even entirely because they are rare.

We collect meteorites because of how it makes us feel. The awe inspiring 
feeling of smallness in the universe. It makes us feel that we have a 
connection to the universe, a sense of uncommon knowledge of something 
much bigger than ourselves. Meteorites fill great and mysterious voids 
with knowledge and information about our universe and ultimately 
ourselves. It's about something that is much more important than us. To 
be able to walk to your collection display and pull out a specimen of 
the material that built our solar system and the planets, that is why we 
collect. Collectors share this experience of joy and wonder with other 
collectors and the public through their own galleries and mini-museum 
collections which pay homage to the greatness of some of the worlds 
finest collections of meteorites. We need to share that feeling with 
everyone!

Besides all that. Meteorites are the COOLEST rocks on the planet!

Regards,
Eric





On 8/10/2010 2:28 PM, Ed Majden wrote:
>     This confirms my impression of collectors!  They are NUTS!  I 
> don't single out meteorite collectors but all collectors.  Let us look 
> at art as an example.  If a painting by a famous artist sells for big 
> bucks and later it turns out to be a fake it is nearly worthless 
> again.  It has nothing to do with the quality of the painting but who 
> actually is the so called famous painter.  The Ottawa art community, 
> government, if I recall correctly paid big bucks for three stripes 
> painted on a couple of sheets of plywood.  Several people said they 
> would duplicate this so called famous painting at a fraction of the 
> cost, but there were no takers.  Collectors and their vanity proves 
> they are all NUTS!  I have something you don't have!  ;-)  Meteorites 
> should be about what they do for science and Not scarcity!
> Ed Majden
> Courtenay B.C.______________________________________________
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