Written by Trevor Boyd | 14th September 2018
Sometimes treasures literally fall from the sky, as proven by this week’s fantastic find: an extraordinarily large carbonaceous chondrite type CR2 meteorite. It is part of this week’s Exclusive Meteorite auction (14th - 23rd September). Our Natural History expert Trevor Boyd explains what makes this meteorite a treasure worth pursuing.
Meteorites are valuable for two reasons: due to their rarity or their importance to science. This example ticks both of these boxes!
Scarcity
The Carbonaceous Chondrites type CR2 meteorites are some of the rarest. They are highly sought after by meteorite collectors and most examples that are offered for sale typically only weigh a few grams. We are delighted to offer this superb example which weighs a huge 712 grams! This makes this particular specimen unique and very desirable.
Scientific value
Carbonaceous chondrites are amongst the oldest materials in the solar system, with an estimated age of over 4.5 million years. They are classified according to their composition and petrography (mineral composition). They can contain a very diverse range of organic compounds, including amino acids, which are believed by scientists to be important precursors for the emergence of life in the universe. In the case of the CR type, C stands for Carbonaceous and the R for the Renazzo meteorite in Italy.
The Carbonaceous Chondrite Type CR2 Meteorite will be on auction until 23rd September 2018
Origin
Meteorites can be found in various locations around the globe, especially in hot dry desert regions as this environment means that they are readily preserved and are much easier to find than in heavily vegetated areas. This meteorite was found in the Sahara desert, a source of many fine meteorites. A Moroccan merchant acquired it at the end of the 90s, and it was sold at the Barcelona Minerals Fair at the beginning of the new century. It was sold as a normal chondrite, but the buyer felt there was something special about it, and indeed there was.
Authenticity
The buyer, Gabriel, was from Alicante and was among the first meteorite collectors in Spain. He maintained that this meteorite was a Carbonaceous Chondrite, and Adrian Contreras Gomez, a longstanding Spanish meteorite collector and dealer, helped him with the necessary analysis to confirm this theory. He took a sample to the University of Barcelona to be analyzed by the prestigious Jordi Llorca, who confirmed in 2017 that this was indeed an authentic CR2 type. Adrian now brings this fantastic item to auction.
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You can bid on this unique find in our Exclusive Meteorite auction from 14th - 23rd September 2018.
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