Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 45

Manuscript, Collectibles and Aerospace Auction

Meteorites

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1640		12 Pound Campo Del Cielo Meteorite. This large 6 x 4.5 x 3.5 inch iron-nickel meteorite contains one large, deep regmaglypt, several medium sized ones, and many small crater-like ones. Features an overall shape and surface resembling a small asteroid covered with impact craters. Can be stood up and displayed in several positions. Add $25.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $650 - 900. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $863
Lot 1641		13.5 Pound Cut And Etched Campo Del Cielo Meteorite. This 7 x 5 x 3 inch iron-nickel meteorite has been cut in half, polished and etched on both inside sections to show the interesting silver and gray Widmanstatten patterns made possible because of the segregation of two nickel compounds, Kamacite and Taenite, which etch at different levels. These unique patterns define these specimens as meteorites because a slow cooling of not more than a few degrees per million years is necessary to allow the nickel alloys to separate and no rocks on earth have these patterns. Campos are of the category polycrystalline octahedite iron-nickel meteorites and are defined by wide bands in the Widmanstatten pattern. This example also exhibits the characteristic regmaglypts and fusion crust on its unaltered surface. Add $30.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $1,300 - 1,700. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,358
Lot 1642		13.75 Pound Campo Del Cielo Meteorite. This large 9 x 4 x 3 inch meteorite has a very unusual shape, somewhat resembling a partial dinosaur jaw with a huge regmaglypt looking like an empty tooth socket in a jaw. The rest of the surface is covered with many small regmaglypts (thumbprints). These highly desirable iron-nickel specimens are found with great effort in mountains of Gran Chaco Gualambe, Argentina, about 500 miles north-northwest of Buenos Aires. Add $25.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $800 - 1,200. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,150
Lot 1643		2.75 Pound Meteorite From Meteor Crater. This large 4 x 2.5 x 2.5 inch Canyon Diablo iron-nickel meteorite is a good sized specimen of the most sought after iron meteorites by collectors. Specimens are hard to come by as the area around Meteor Crater near Winslow, Arizona has been closed for years. The nearly one mile in diameter crater was created over 50,000 years ago when a 50 foot in diameter meteor exploded high over the Arizona desert. This excellent quality meteorite possesses all of the qualities desired in a Canyon Diablo specimen: excellent shape, sharp edges, gun metal color, and also a rare round graphite nodule. A copy of the 1928 Meteor Crater Exploration & Mining Company stock certificate of the failed attempt to retrieve iron from within the crater (there wasn't any) is also enclosed. Add $25.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $600 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,438
Lot 1644		28 Pound Sikhote-Alin Meteorite. Extremely large 12 x 7 x 3 inch iron-nickel shrapnel type shows many features of the huge explosions that took place high above Siberia's Sikhote-Alin mountains on Feb. 12, 1947, the impacts of which tore the meteorite into thousands of smaller pieces. The first explosion was much higher in the atmosphere and its meteorites exhibit regmaglypts (thumbprints) from melting for a longer time, while meteorites from the closer second explosion show sharp edges as there was not enough time to form regmaglypts. The freshness of these meteorites make them the most popular of the iron-nickel variety, with outstanding surface detail and fusion crust. This huge specimen shows many signs of the explosive shearing force with many sharp edges and a distinctive and attractive gun metal color. Its size is unusual as most Sikhote-Alin meteorites weigh less than a pound. One of this size and weight is unlikely to be found in any museum outside of Russia. Add $45.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,500. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,875
Lot 1645		4 Different Shaped Indochinites Tektites. Tektites are glass-like objects that formed when a very large meteorite impacted the earth, vaporizing itself and melting earth rocks to over 2,000 degrees F. The black Indochinites are found mostly in and around Thailand and are a glossy black color, made up of mostly amorphous silica and somewhat resembling obsidian. They have been dated to be about 800,000 years old which would be the date of the impact when they formed out of the molten earth and meteorite. The tektites get their shape depending on the speed of rotation of the molten rock as it quickly cools after being ejected high into the earth's atmosphere. As the molten rock solidifies into small objects, if there is no rotation it will form a sphere, a slow rotation will form a flattened disc, fast rotation will form a rod or dumbbell shape, and a very fast rotation will form a teardrop shape. This lot contains four sizeable specimens of each of the four types housed in 8 x 6 inch Riker mount. Add $15.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $250 - 350. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $184
Lot 1646		78.5 Pound Campo Del Cielo Meteorite. This huge 12 x 11 x 6 inch iron-nickel specimen is not only the heaviest complete meteorite we have auctioned, but also one of the most aesthetically pleasing, with a plethora of regmaglypts which form when the meteorite enters the atmosphere at a high velocity, creating very high temperatures that selectively melt the pockets of Troilite (iron sulfide) much more readily than the iron-nickel matrix. Known as Campo del Cielo (field of the sky), these meteorites fell over 4,000 years ago in Gran Chaco Gualamba, Argentina and were written about in 1576 by the Spanish governor who learned about them from local Indians who believed the iron stones fell from the sky. A large 60 ton meteorite known as Meson de Fiero (large table of iron) was sent back by ship to Spain and melted down. The best specimens of Campos, such as this one, are known as new Campos as they are found higher up in the mountains and have not been worn down by rusting from rain water. Add $75.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,000. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $4,830
Lot 1647		Aesthetic Sikhote-Alin Meteorite With Regmaglypts. Good sized, 3 x 1.7 x 1 inch, 312 gram, Sikhote-Alin iron nickel specimen is the rarer of the two meteorite types, possessing many regmaglypts -- small crater-like impressions formed by ablation of Troilite when the meteorite was streaking through the sky at high temperature. The large meteorite body broke up twice during its fall to Earth, with only the higher breakup creating the meteorites with regmaglypts. Add $15.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $450 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $432
Lot 1648		Axatite Iron-Nickel Dronino Meteorite. Originally found by a mushroom hunter in July 2000 near the village of Dronino, in Russia's Ryazan district, Dronino is an example of a rare type of iron-nickel meteorite known as Ataxite that has so much nickel in it that there is no Widmanstatten pattern on it when it is cut and etched. This lot consists of two specimens. The first is a 6 pound complete meteorite, 7 x 5 x 1.5 inches. Like all the recovered specimens, it is weathered from being buried in the ground for hundreds or thousands of years. Droninos do not have well-defined regmaglypts like most iron-nickel meteorites. The second complete 4 x 2.75 inch slice weighing 180 grams has a shiny surface with no Widmanstatten patterns, even though it has been etched. What it does have are speckled areas of sulfide inclusions. Ataxites are quite rare and missing from most meteorite collections. Add $25.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $650 - 900. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $575
Lot 1649		Collection Of Lunar And Martian Meteorite Dust. This lot consists of a collection of 12 different Lunar and Martian meteorites, each containing 10mg (except card 8, with 2mg) of sterile cutting dust. Meteorites from the Moon and Mars are so rare and valuable that they sell for thousands of dollars per gram. When the meteorites are sectioned, some of them are lost as particles and dust. These particle and dust remnants were gathered to create only 50 sets of these six different Lunar and six different Martian meteorites. Each card is sealed, laminated, and identified as to its official designation. Each card has the meteorite fragments visible in a viewing window, either in the Moon or Mars portrayed behind Stonehenge (a well-known ancient observatory). This complete 12 card set is numbered 26 and comes with a certificate of authenticity from the Hupe Collection. Add $10.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $300 - 400. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1650		Complete Uncut Martian Mini-Meteorite. Meteorites from Mars are so rare that only small fragments are available for sale. These, found in the past year in the Sahara desert, have been identified as being from Mars because of their chemical analysis and age. The 35 small individual meteorites, once part of a larger meteorite that broke up high in the Earth's atmosphere, have a total weight of only 82 grams. 20 percent of them were submitted for analysis (named WMA 4880) and were identified as rare Basaltic (volcanic) Martian Shergotite, representing the freshest example of this meteorite found. This specimen weighs 1.05 grams and has about 40 percent of its original dark brown fusion crust from burning in the atmosphere. A somewhat larger 4 gram meteorite recently realized over $17,000 at auction in New York. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a complete marble sized piece of the planet Mars. Comes with an identification card from the Hupe Collection. Estimated Value $1,300 - 2,300. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1651		Fukang Pallasite Meteorite. Pallasites are by far the rarest and most beautiful of the major types of meteorites and are thought to have originated at the mantle-core boundary of very large differentiated asteroids that were destroyed during the early formation of the solar system over 5 billion years ago. Pallasites are a combination of iron-nickel and olivine crystals. Gemstones of olivine are known as peridot, so pallasites are considered gemstones from space. Fukang is regarded as one of the most beautiful pallasites because it contains the largest crystals of olivine mixed in its iron-nickel matrix. Only one large 1,003 Kg meteorite was recovered near Fukang, China in 2000. This large museum quality slice is 6.75 x 3.8 inches, weighs a hefty 194 grams, and is housed in a 12 x 8 inch Riker mount. The true beauty of this translucent piece can be appreciated when held up to a light source that enables the olivine crystals to dazzle. Premium polished Fukang sections such as this have been bringing $30-40 per gram at meteorite auctions. Add $25.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,500. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1652		Fukang Polished Pallasite Meteorite. Pallasites are essentially gemstones from space, containing crystals of olivine (peridot) within their iron-nickel matrix. Peridot can range in color from orange to yellow to green. This 2 x 2 inch, 26.9 gram polished section contains clear olivine crystals of greenish yellow hue, and even one orange crystal. Found near Fukang, China in 2000, clear translucent sections such as this are in great demand due to both their rarity and beauty. This stunning piece is housed in a 5.5 x 4.5 inch Riker mount. Add $15.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $600 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $552
Lot 1653		Huge Stony Meteorite. Most stony meteorites are small (less than 1 pound) because larger ones usually break apart before impact with the Earth. Found in the Sahara desert in Morocco, this huge 12 x 8 x 5 inch, 25 pound complete specimen is one of the exceptions. It is considered an ordinary chronite in that it consists of round silicate grains which formed at the beginning of the solar system some 4.55 billion years ago. Molten globs of accreted material stuck together to form an asteroid from which this meteorite emerged upon collision with another asteroid. Of added importance is the presence of more than 40% of the original dark brown fusion crust which formed when this meteorite passed aflame through the Earth's atmosphere. Add $20.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $1,350 - 2,000. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,064
Lot 1654		Lunar Dhofar 908 Meteorite. This substantial 17 x 12 x 1, 0.554 gram section of the important Lunar impact meteorite Dhofar 908 is housed in a special membrane box for easy removal and visibility on all sides. Lunar and Martian meteorites are very rare and in great demand. Almost all of the recovered Lunar meteorites are very small and Dhofar 908, found in the Dhofar region of Southern Oman in January 2003, weighed just 245 grams. This important meteorite is classified as a Lunar impact Breccia (Polymict Breccia) from the Lunar highlands. This Breccia is a mix of three different types of moon rocks that were blasted off the surface of the moon from an impact with a fairly large meteorite and mixed together with molten vaporized rock and resolidified in a fine grain matrix. The three different colors of moon rocks can easily be seen in this superlative specimen: white clasts (rock segments) that are anorthositic (plagioclase feldsar rich), one brownish orange clast (different type of iron bearing rock), and the dark gray matrix from yet another type of rock. Cosmic radiation studies yielded the results that the original moon rocks were more than 18 feet below the Lunar surface at the time of impact and that this meteorite was on the surface of the Earth for more than 300,000 years before being discovered. A similar 3 gram section of this valuable meteorite sold for $12,000 in an auction in New York in October 2007. Add $15.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $800 - 1,300. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $690
Lot 1655		Meteorite Comet Fragment. The Murchison meteorites are among the most important and well studied meteorites ever discovered. They landed in Australia in 1969 and were found to be the most primitive meteorites known, virtually unchanged since they formed at the same time as the solar system 4.57 billion years ago. Murchison meteorites contain 12 percent water and many organic compounds which make them very different from most meteorites that originate in the asteroid belt. NASA planetary scientists consider Murchison to be cometary in origin, being a piece of the comet nucleus which broke off during a comet's journey around the sun. What makes Murchison even more special is that it contains over 80 different amino acids. On Earth there are only 19 different amino acids that make up all living creatures, while Murchison contains these 19 plus 61 other amino acids. The presence of amino acids in a meteorite gives us a good idea as to the possible source of the building blocks of life. This sizable, black colored Murchison specimen features gray spherical chondrules and weighs 0.963 grams and is 14 x 11 mm, housed in a special membrane box for observation on all sides. Add $15.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $300 - 425. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1656		Meteorite Dragon Tanto Knife. This large 12.25 inch Dragon Tanto knife features a 5.75 x 1.25 inch 100% meteorite blade crafted from the highly desired Gibeon iron-nickel meteorite. Gibeon meteorites are highly praised by collectors for the fantastic Widmanstatten pattern that they reveal when etched. These unique patterns result from the two types of nickel alloys responding to the etch differently and are what define and separate iron-nickel meteorites from all other rocks on Earth. This is a unique design that will never be duplicated and has been expertly crafted with silver winged dragons on both sides of the sterling silver guard, as well as a different style winged dragon on the silver end cap. The handle is made from exotic Amboyna Burl from Indonesia. Large knives like this are rarely made because much of the rare meteorite is lost in cutting and the Gibeon meteorite, found in the Great Nama Land of Namibia in Africa, was worth many hundreds of dollars. This unique collectible would be the highlight of any collection. Add $20.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $1,150 - 1,600. View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 1657		Rare Aubrite Stony Meteorite. Aubrite stony meteorites are one of the rarest type, with only about 10 different Aubrite specimens known. They are a type of achondrite (lacking the spherical chondrites present in most stony meteorites), composed mostly of enstatite (magnesium silicate). Analyzing reflective spectra, they match up with asteroid 44 Nysa, the brighest asteroid known, and also a smaller asteroid closer to Earth called 3103 Eger which is probably their parent body. This very large 722 gram (over 1.5 lbs), 4 x 2.75 x 2.5 inch endcut of Al Haggounia 001 was found in the Moroccan town of that name in 2007. The cut face has several shades of brown and many long darker shock lines attesting to the violent impact that ejected them from their parent asteroid millions of years ago. There is even some dark fusion crust remaining on the rest of the meteorite from its fiery entry into the Earth's atmosphere. This is an excellent opportunity to add a rare type of meteorite to your collection at a very favorable price as Aubrites are usually sold at $3-6 per gram. Add $15.00 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $450 - 800. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $575