US EditionLargest Piece of Mars on Earth Could Go for Millions at Auction
- Sotheby's will auction NWA 16788, the largest known Martian meteorite on Earth, on July 16 at its New York Natural History sale.
- The 54-pound meteorite was found by a hunter in Niger's Agadez region on November 16, 2023, after being chipped from Mars by an asteroid impact.
- NWA 16788 is nearly 70% larger than previous Martian specimens, accounts for over 6% of Martian meteorite mass on Earth, and was publicly exhibited in Italy and at Sotheby's prior to auction.
- Experts estimate NWA 16788 could sell for $2 to $4 million, potentially becoming the most valuable extraterrestrial rock ever auctioned, as Sotheby's Vice Chairman Cassandra Hatton called it a "once-in-a-generation find."
- This auction underscores the rarity of Martian meteorites and raises concerns about limiting scientific study if such specimens enter private collections worldwide.
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Martian meteorites are very rare, but NWA 16788 is one of the most incredible that have fallen on Earth, so the auction is going to be a record.
Daily Journal
Largest piece of Mars on Earth could go for millions at auction
Meteorite NWA 16788 is the largest known piece of Mars on Earth and weighs 54 pounds.
It flew millions of kilometers through space and landed in the Sahara. Now the largest known piece of Mars is auctioned and is expected to achieve a record price.
This auction at Sotheby's in New York could set a new record. Under the hammer comes a piece from the planet Mars shortly. It is the largest known rock of the red planet on Earth, the auction house announced on Wednesday. The meteorite with the name "NWA 16788" weighs almost 25 kilograms according to the data. The rock with the typical red coloration and the glassy surface in the Niger in 2023 was discovered. Thus, Mars piece to the earth probab…
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