On 21 July 2002, after observation of a brilliant fireball, two loud detonations were heard a few minutes later. Several persons heard the meteorite hit the ground. Upon impact, it fragmented into hundreds of pieces and was scattered among several villages. A total weight of ~7 kg of material was recovered. This meteorite was classified as an LL6 chondrite,  brecciated. It has heavy black shock veins and displays quite well.

30.8 grams, crust on right edge, 185.00

4.5 grams, SOLD

4.982 grams, SOLD

2.202 grams, end cut with crust, $16.50

15.2 gram fragment with crust, SOLD

2.564 grams, SOLD

KOBE, Japan - Witnessed Fall 

According to The Meteoritical Bulletin, "A fireball was widely observed in the western prefectures of Kobe City. Shortly after a detonation was heard, one stone was recovered in Tsukushigaoka, Kita-ku, in the northern part of the city. It broke into 20 pieces after penetrating the roof of the house of Ryoichi Hirata; much of the material ended up on a bed." The total mass of this fall was a miniscule 136 grams. Kobe is  only the second known fall of a CK4 meteorite (Karoonda being the first). And, aside from Maralinga, all other CK4 meteorites are Antarctica and Desert finds. The Kobe museum purchased the roof section where the meteorite smashed through, and the bedroom ceiling section with the hole; and signed a permanent agreement with the owner to display these sections with the meteorite at the Kobe museum. 

In addition to the preceding information, I received further documentation directly from Mr. Dirk Ross, the person who retrieved some of this meteorite. Dirk initially received word of the fall from his students in Kobe. After the police were finished with their crime scene investigation, and the authorities learned it was a meteorite that punched through the roof, Dirk approached the Hirata family about the fall. He learned that the vacuum cleaner used to clean the daughter's bed and surrounding area still retained the bag, which fortunately had not been emptied. He purchased the vacuum cleaner bag, thoroughly inspected the residue and removed several very small fragments. With the exception of less than 2 grams of material, the balance of the meteorite is in museums in Japan, and like most Japanese meteorites, will never be available to collectors. Exceedingly rare and quite expensive, Kobe will be one of the most elusive meteorites to grace any collection. These specimens are all I have for sale. A photocopy of Dirk Ross's hand written information card, which includes his signature, will accompany each specimen.

0.0012 grams, SOLD

0.010 grams, SOLD

0.008 grams, SOLD

0.0014 grams, SOLD

0.034 grams, SOLD

0.236 grams, $2832.00

KOLTSOVO, Russia  

A single stone was found in July 2004, in the Kaluga district, Russia, and was classified as an H4 chondrite. Only a small quantity of material has been released to the meteorite collector market.

1.846 grams, $7.35

2.134 grams, SOLD

2.698 grams, SOLD

1.406 grams, SOLD

KOSICE, Slovakia - Witnessed Fall  (Provisional)  Contact me directly.

KUNASHAK, Russia - Witnessed Fall  

This meteorite fell on 11 June 1949 in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia. Kunashak is classified as an L6 chondrite. It has virtually no black fusion crust (as we normally think) but does retain some exterior roughness. Kunashak is a regolith breccia with black veins and some melt pockets. The 20 stones collected weighed about 200 kilos but very little of this beautiful meteorite has ever been released by the Academy of Sciences, Moscow, and offered for sale to collectors. All slices shown here are nicely polished. The brecciation and veining in some slices does not show well in the photos. At least one building was reportedly struck by this meteorite shower.

28.1 grams, $112.40

23.1 grams, $92.40

4.770 grams, $23.85

3.836 grams, $19.15

4.254 grams, $21.25

4.560 grams, $22.80

4.820 grams, $24.10

35.7 grams, $142.80

KUNYA-URGENCH, Turkmenistan - Witnessed Fall  SOLD

KYUSHU, Japan - Witnessed Fall  SOLD