Meteor P.10a

Reportedly, a shower of more than 3000 stones fell north of L'Aigle, Orne, Normandy, France, on 26 July 1803. Upon hearing of this event, the French Academy of Science dispatched Jean-Bapiste Biot to investigate the phenomenon. After his field work was completed, Biot distinguished two kinds of evidence of an extraterrestrial origin for the stones. Physical evidence of the sudden appearance of a large number of identical stones similar to previous meteorites, and further evidence by the large number of witnesses who saw a "rain of stones thrown by the meteor" as well as their diversity of profession, interests, and social status. L'Aigle is the most famous meteorite in history for it proved the theory that stones did fall from the sky. Although a relatively large fall (~37 kg), L'Aigle is of such importance in history that it is very difficult to obtain. Valued highly by all meteorite institutions, it is expensive. L'Aigle is classified as an L6 chondrite, brecciated. The partial slices offered here are reasonably priced compared to some dealers asking prices of more than $1000.00 per gram.

2.698 grams, $1349.00

2.260 grams, SOLD

0.924 grams, SOLD

1.06 grams, crust on upper edge, $654.00

2.756 grams, crust on upper edge, $1653.00

A 6.68 kg stone was found by a women in Perkins County, South Dakota, sometime before 1984, and was placed in her driveway border until it was recognized as a meteorite and purchased in 1998. Lemmon was classified as an H5 chondrite and a only a few slices were removed prior to the main mass being sold to a private collector. Only ~300 grams of this meteorite are available to the collector. South Dakota meteorites are seldom available in the collector's market.

3.250 grams, $11.35

2.680 grams, $9.35

3.446 grams, $12.05

2.884 grams, $10.05

6.7 grams, $23.45, in 50 mm by 50 mm box

4.224 grams, $14.75, in 50 mm by 50 mm box

On the afternoon of 22 June 1931 a large shower of stones fell over a large area NE of Malotas, Salavina department, Santiago del Estero, Argentina, Malotas is classified as an H5 chondrite, gas-rich, and very little of this material has ever shown up in the meteorite marketplace. The partial slices offered here do not have crust but are still nice clean specimens from an uncommon location. Each will please someone.

4.515 grams, $67.70

4.848 grams, $72.70

3.724 grams, SOLD

4.300 grams, $64.50

3.563 grams, SOLD

37.8 grams, $400.00

A shower of stones was seen to fall on 5 October 1971 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and at least 7 of these were recover. The total weight of this H4 chondrite is ~2.5 kg and not readily available to collectors. The partial slice offered here weighs 1.774 grams and is priced at $248.35.

After detonations, a stone was seen to fall on 25 February 1847, 9 miles south of Marion, Linn County, Iowa. Later, two additional stones were recovered. Marion is classified as an L6 chondrite, veined. Most of this meteorite resides in museums and it is seldom seen in the meteorite market. All of the partial slices offered here will make some collector happy.

4.732 grams, $165.60

6.216 grams, SOLD

4.966 grams, $173.80

5.652 grams, SOLD

8.036 grams, $281,25

6.020 grams, $210.70

A large fireball was observed in October 1960 and an object fell to earth in the Wiluna district, Western Australia. Ten years later the first of the stones were recovered and the meteorite was classified as an Achondrite, monomict Eucrite. Complete stones show a distinctive orange coloration on the exterior. Millbillillie has the typical light gray interior and good fusion crust similar to most Eucrites.

1.874 grams, full slice, $46.85

1.804 grams, full slice, SOLD

1.038 grams, end cut, SOLD

3.420 grams, full slice, not parallel cut, SOLD

1.710 grams, full slice, $42.75

2.620 grams, full slice, SOLD

1.432 grams, end cut, $35.80

1.900 grams, full slice, $47.50

2.696 grams, full slice, SOLD

1.846 grams, full slice, $46.15

Two stones fell on 22 March 1998, in the city of Monahans, Ward County, Texas, after a fireball was witnessed over a wide area from the fall site. One of the stones impacted an asphalt city street; the other landed near where some boys were playing basketball. One stone remains with the city of Monahans; the second stone was auctioned and the proceeds set up in college funds for the boys who found it. Monahans is an H5 chondrite with light and dark clasts in a gray-colored pulverized matrix containing grains of purple halite and sylvite. This meteorite is next to impossible to obtain, and then only in tiny fragments. The micros shown here were obtained from Steve Arnold who received them as part his commission in brokering the boy's stone. Each is priced at $30.00.

This meteorite was found prior to 1941 about 12 miles Northeast of Mount Egerton, in the Gascoyne River area of Western Australia. Only small fragments are found, most less than one gram. Mount Egerton consists of iron-rich enstatite crystals which have discolored by weathering. It is classified as a Ca-poor anomalous Aubrite. Not often available, these are very clean fragments. Priced at only $12.00 per gram, these are attractive and reasonably priced specimens. My records indicate that I purchased a small bag of fragments from Blaine Reed in Tucson in 1998. These have been "lost" in my boxes of miscellaneous stuff for awhile.

0.370 grams, $4.45	0.489 grams, SOLD	0.780 grams, SOLD	0.876 grams, SOLD	0.672 grams, SOLD	0.714 grams, SOLD
0.450 grams, SOLD	0.420 grams, SOLD	0.954 grams, $11.45	0.686 grams, $8.20	0.526 grams, $6.30	0.520 grams, $6.25

First found in 1964 in the Meekatharra district of Western Australia, this interesting Stony-iron is classified as a Mesosiderite, subgroup A1. Mount Padbury is seldom seen in the meteorite market, and typically only as fragments. Offered here are two single stones and two cut and diamond lapped small fragments. Prices are well below what other dealers are asking for this attractive Mesosiderite.

3.5 grams, $43.75

7.7 grams, $96.25

3.2 grams, SOLD

5.4 grams, SOLD

A single stone was seen to fall by a Tuareg boy on 21 August 1991, and many pieces were distributed by a Tuareg man. The fall occurred in Tahoua, Niger, and the meteorite was classified as an L5 chondrite. Even though the total weight was large (110 kg), very little of this meteorite has entered the marketplace. This is not an easy location to obtain.

5.290 grams, SOLD

2.122 grams, SOLD

6.74 grams, $60.65

3.180 grams, $28.60

5.950 grams, SOLD

3.172 grams, $28.50

5.250 grams, $47.25

4.050 grams, $36.45

3.804 grams, $34.20

The Meteoritical Bulletin lists Mount Vernon as a Stony-iron, Pallasite, main group, angular olivine shape. The mass of ~159 kg was found ~7 NE of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 1868 but it was not recognized as a meteorite until 1902. Although it has dark olivine, the meteorite is stable and seldom available in the meteorite market. This partial slice weighs 7.8 grams and is priced at a reasonable SOLD, nearly one-half the price per gram of the last recorded sale I could find. This specimen has been in my personal collection and, though I admire Pallasites, it no longer fits my collecting interests.