What Types of Meteorites Do We Value?
Meteorites are broadly divided into stony, iron and stony-iron meteorites, but within these groups are numerous classifications with very different levels of rarity and collector interest.
Lunar Meteorites
Lunar meteorites are pieces of the Moon that were ejected from its surface by impacts before eventually reaching Earth. They are exceptionally rare compared with most terrestrial rocks and meteorite types. Identification requires scientific analysis, and documented classification is particularly important when lunar material is offered at auction.
Lyon & Turnbull has handled significant lunar meteorites, including large natural specimens as well as examples cut and worked to reveal the material within.
Martian Meteorites
Martian meteorites originated on Mars and were thrown into space following powerful impacts on the planet’s surface. A small proportion eventually crossed paths with Earth and survived passage through our atmosphere.
Their Martian origin can be established through detailed scientific analysis, including comparison of their mineralogy and chemical characteristics with what is known about Mars. The rarity of confirmed Martian material gives these meteorites particular significance for both science and collecting.
Pallasite Meteorites
Pallasites are among the most visually distinctive meteorites, combining metal with translucent crystals of olivine. When cut and polished, particularly fine specimens can reveal green to golden crystals held within a metallic structure, giving them an appearance quite unlike most other meteorites.
Quality varies considerably, with preservation, stability, provenance and the appearance of the individual specimen all contributing to collector interest.
Iron Meteorites
Iron meteorites consist predominantly of iron and nickel and are thought to represent material from differentiated parent bodies in the early Solar System.
Some develop dramatic natural forms during atmospheric flight and subsequent weathering. When certain iron meteorites are cut, polished and etched, they can also reveal interlocking crystalline structures known as Widmanstätten patterns. Whole specimens, end pieces and prepared slices can all be collected.
Stony Meteorites
Stony meteorites account for most observed meteorite falls and include both chondrites and achondrites.
Chondrites contain some of the oldest solid material formed in the Solar System, while achondrites come from parent bodies that experienced processes such as melting and differentiation.
Within these broad groups are individual classifications and meteorites with very different degrees of rarity and scientific significance.
What Makes a Meteorite Valuable?
There is no standard price for a meteorite based simply on its weight. Classification is often fundamental to understanding what a specimen is and where it sits within the wider market.
Classification and Rarity
Meteorites are scientifically classified according to their composition, structure and other characteristics. Some classifications are encountered far more frequently than others. At the exceptional end of the spectrum are meteorites originating from the Moon and Mars, while unusual asteroid material and rare classifications can also attract strong interest.
An accurate classification can therefore be central to establishing the significance of a specimen.
Size and Completeness
Size can influence value, particularly for rare material, but larger does not automatically mean better. Whole meteorites retaining their natural exterior can be particularly appealing, while slices and end pieces may reveal structures or minerals hidden within the specimen.
With rare classifications, even relatively small amounts of material can be significant.
Provenance
The history of a meteorite can add considerably to its interest. Information about where and when it was found, previous ownership, scientific classification and inclusion in an established collection should be retained wherever possible.
Meteorites associated with well-documented falls can have an additional historical dimension, particularly where the event was witnessed or otherwise recorded.
Form and Appearance
Some meteorites are valued partly for their extraordinary natural forms. Their passage through the atmosphere can produce fusion crust, flow lines and other surface characteristics, while some iron meteorites develop deeply sculptural shapes.
Prepared specimens can reveal an entirely different appearance, from the crystalline structure of iron meteorites to the olivine crystals of pallasites.
Why Is Meteorite Classification Important?
A meteorite’s classification can tell us a great deal about its composition and possible origin. For collectors and auction houses, it can also provide essential evidence supporting an attribution. This becomes especially important when a specimen is described as lunar, Martian or belonging to another rare classification.
Scientific classification may involve mineralogical, chemical and isotopic analysis, and significant specimens are often associated with documentation recording their classification and find information.
If you own a meteorite with laboratory reports, classification records, collection labels or previous invoices, these should remain with the specimen.
Meteorites from the Moon and Mars
Few Natural History objects make the scale of the Solar System feel quite so immediate as a meteorite known to have originated on another world.
Lunar and Martian meteorites began as part of the surfaces of the Moon or Mars. Powerful impacts ejected fragments into space, some of which eventually reached Earth as meteorites. Their rarity, scientific importance and extraordinary origin place authenticated planetary meteorites among the most distinctive material handled within Natural History.
Lyon & Turnbull has sold both lunar and Martian meteorites at auction, including significant specimens and material prepared into highly unusual display pieces.
