[meteorite-list] Questionable eBay seller selling Sutter's Mill meteorite

[MikeG]

Hi List,

I don't know who the seller is, or if the person is a member of this
list.   Having said that, I recall that recently Gary Fujihara also
posted to the list regarding this same seller and something about NWA
numbers that did not match up (or something to that effect).

I agree, judging from appearances, this does not resemble any Sutter's
Mill I have handled personally or seen photos of.  Sutter's Mill has
the expected and unmistakeable look of a charcoal-black carbonaceous
chondrite.  There are lighter colored inclusions and orange
inclusions, but the ones I have seen are smaller in scale than this
specimen - this does not appear to be a micro fragment consisting only
of a lighter-colored inclusion removed from the darker matrix.  This
specimen would raise red flags with me as well.  Maybe the seller
could chime in and explain if he/she is reading this.

This is a good example of KNOW YOUR SELLER.  This may not be of the
utmost importance when dealing with some common and distinctive
specimens (like Campo del Cielo, Sikhote Alin, NWA 869) that are
easily recognized for what they are.  But when dealing with rare
falls, rare types, or valuable specimens, one should ask questions
about provenance and know their seller.

Best regards,

MikeG
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On 7/19/12, Shawn Alan <photophlow at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hello Listers,
>
> I have been noticing seller galeriacores on eBay selling some rare and
> historic meteorites and looking at the pictures it was hard to tell if it
> was the real deal. I contacted the seller a week or so back about a
> meteorite for sale and he could only say that they got the meteorite from a
> big dealer from the Czech Republic. Has anyone dealt with the eBay dealer in
> the past. Why I ask is because today i did a Sutter's Mill meteorite search
> and saw this eBay seller had a piece for sale and after viewing the images,
> its not even close to being a CM meteorite. It gets me to thinking, I bet
> most if not all of his meteorites the seller sold might not be what they say
> they are. But again I am not sure if they are knowing selling meteorites
> that arent what they are, or  been coned by some other individual. So if you
> have bought anything from this seller, I would see about getting that
> meteorite checked out.
>
> Here is the Sutter's Mill meteorite in question.
>
>  ttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Sutters-Mill-witnessed-fall-2012-Meteorite-Micro-Specimen-/320948115928?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab9ff99d8
>
> Again sorry for having to post this, but I think this is important to let
> you all know in the meteroite community that something doesnt add up with
> this seller. I know we all have to start some where, but I feel from what I
> have seen this seller post in the past on eBay was questionable and now the
> Sutter's Mill meteorite being a fake, I think it time for the meteorite
> community to look into this.
>
> Shawn Alan
> IMCA 1633
> eBay Store
> http://www.ebay.com/sch/ph0t0phl0w/m.html?
> http://www.meteoritefalls.com/
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