[meteorite-list] Labeling specimens

[GeoZay at aol.com]

>>I have said this before and I am saying  it again! The meteorite 
comunnity needs to take some lessons from the rare coin  dealers and start sellling 
specimens in packages with standards. Hermatically  sealed specimens of 
standard size and provanance, sealed in thin collector sized  cases. To create 
an investor market we need to sell 1 cm square slices 4mm thick  in sealed 
dessicated containers that are tamper proof and graded like collector  coins. 
this would be a lot better than the current method of selling  irregular  
chunks sent in a baggy with a business card. by establishing a  standard of 
grading for collector meteorites we will create a larger market of  collector 
specimins with a higher value which will allow them to be traded like  gold 
or silver on the commodities market. and dramitically increase the vALUE OF  
METEORITES FOR EVERYONE ON THE LIST. I may have problems trying to figure 
out if  a meteorite is a 4 or a 5 but if its in a dime sized container
graded and  authenticated by the imca. it would be a win win   situation>>

You gotta be kidding? I for one wouldn't want small  pieces like you 
describe. If the meteorite community did some how agree to such  a hair brain 
idea, I'd still seek out the sizes I would want and ignore the 1 cm  square 
pieces. I also bet there would be enuf folks out there that would do the  same. 
I can just see now people cutting up their favorite Sikhote-alin  
individuals into little chunks,  so they can be fitted into their little  hermatically 
sealed containers. As for gold and silver, well I've done some gold  
prospecting and sold a fair amount of gold on ebay in the years past. One thing  I 
became keenly aware of, you can sell natural gold nuggets for a higher 
price  than the same weight of gold bullion. Also the gold nuggets is not as 
pure as  the bullion. Over  time, I've converted my gold bullion into natural 
gold  nuggets, knowing that some day I can sell the same amount of gold for a 
higher  price, just because they are now in the form of natural nuggets. 
When it comes  to meteorites, if such a scheme was put into motion, I think 
you'll find those  that didn't went along with it will have a more successful 
time. 
GeoZay