[meteorite-list] AD - Lunar available for sale

[GREG LINDH]

    Hi Jason,
 
  Believe me when I tell you, I understand the "law of supply and demand".  My main point is that there are some hunter/dealers who are definitely more reasonable than others.  I have what I consider to be some very nice specimens in my rather small collection.  The people who sold them to me did so at reasonable, fair prices.  Some I bought as "Buy Nows" and some I bid for.  I always did well on the bid items.  I always won and the price was right.  I made the mistake of saying on the List that I would always wait until the last second to place my bid.  That is what instigated the rather rude dealer to address me as "Mr. Tight Ass" and  I believe he said that people like me should be "shot" or "hung"...I can't remember which.  Unfortunately, he is typical of many here on the List.  This is not a blanket statement.  I have wrtten to and dealt with some very amiable and fair people, who not only sent me meteorites, but also much information and encouragement.  I only wish that there were more like that here.
 
 
  Best regards,
                Greg Lindh
 
 


----------------------------------------

> Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 21:54:57 -0700

> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] AD - Lunar available for sale

> From: meteoritekid at gmail.com

> To: geeg48 at msn.com; meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com

>

> Hola Greg,

> Interesting point, but kind of moot; while you are correct in stating

> that Adam is assuming relatively little financial risk in listing

> items with starting bids of $0.99, if you have problems with the

> prices they're fetching, the people you should be complaining to are

> collectors, not him. In this case, he's not the one setting the

> price.

> But then I suppose the question would be - if dealers are artificially

> inflating prices - and then collectors are believing that these rocks

> are actually worth that much - who's to blame? Do you blame the

> masses for their ignorance? Or do you blame the people trying to sell

> them at $1,000/g in the first place? It's a collector's market, Greg,

> and in this case, supply seems to be pretty much at the level of

> demand. Lunars are listed for that much - and they sell, so prices

> clearly aren't too high. I'd like it if they were lower, but things

> being what they are...well, they are what they are. I personally

> wouldn't pay $1,000/g for a Lunar, so I don't buy them. The one small

> slice we did buy (ever) was at $650/g, which is a price I consider to

> be fair, even considering that the monzogabbro NWA 4734 was initially

> being sold for $250/g directly from Morocco. I know because I edited

> the original seller's email to the met-list and forwarded it for him.*

> To that end, you're asking over four times the original asking price

> of the material you're selling. I wonder where the money went...

> Regards,

> Jason

>

> *In retrospect, his asking price was $250/g. The selling price,

> especially for larger specimens, was undoubtedly less.

>

>

>

> On Sun, May 17, 2009 at 9:37 PM, GREG LINDH wrote:

>>

>> Adam,

>>

>> Look, I understand that you're a big time hunter/dealer. I'm just a

>> relatively new collector who has had to put my collecting on hold due to the

>> "fantastic economy". So, I don't claim to know nearly as much as you as far

>> as values, etc... But, right now, you have a 362 mg Dhofar 910 lunar which

>> started out at $.99 and has already been bid up several times so that the

>> bid now stands at $152.50. The time remaining until the auction ends is 1

>> day, 18hours. As far as I'm concerned, the most important fact follows.

>> Everyone knows that the real action as far as bidding is concerned takes

>> place in the last 30 seconds of the auction. Right? So, let's say that the

>> bidding keeps rising between now and the end of the countdown. Who knows

>> how high it will have gotten to by the time you have 30 seconds left. I can

>> only assume from past experience that it will be higher than the present

>> $152.50. Then, during that last 30 seconds of the auction things will

>> really begin to pop. In the end, your "Very Last", "Rare" meteorite will

>> have sold for what? I think a whole bunch more than $.99. Right? So, just

>> saying that you put up lunar meteorites for $.99 is really meaningless. You

>> know that the bidding will drive the price up into the stratosphere.

>> The same thing can be said for your NWA 5000 (a spectacular meteorite, by

>> the way). It started at $.99, but its already up to $331.00. The time

>> remaining until the end of that auction is 1 day, 17 hours. Again, my guess

>> is that it will continue to rise in price over the next day or so, reach the

>> 30 second mark and then once again, its price will explode. So, once again,

>> the $.99 beginning price is meaningless.

>> As I said earlier, I'm just a small time collector. Once, I discussed the

>> way the bidding process works here on the List about 2 years ago, and I had

>> a dealer at that time write to me and give me a rather uncharitable lecture.

>> In his emails to me, he didn't address me as "Greg". No, no, he addressed

>> me as "Mr. Tight Ass". He said that I should be happy to bid multiple times

>> and very high so that he and other dealers would be able to stay in

>> business. Personally, I found his "reasoning" to be a bit disingenuous.

>> When he goes into to buy a car, and the dealer says, this car cost $30,000,

>> I wonder if he would say to the dealer, "No, no, here let me help you out.

>> I wouldn't want you to go out of business, so I'm going to give you $80,000

>> for the car." Yeah, right!

>> I've observed a few things in my time perusing this List over the past

>> couple of years. One of the more important things is that there are some

>> dealers who seem to give a more fair deal than others.

>> I'm not going to put you into a category, one way or the other. I'll just

>> say that I have found some dealers who have treated me with respect (a rare

>> treat, indeed), and have also priced their goods in such a way that I was

>> able to buy a few nice pieces.

>> For what it's worth, that's the way I see things here.

>>

>> Regards,

>> Greg Lindh

>>

>>

>>

>> ----- Original Message -----

>> From: "Adam Hupe" 

>> To: "Adam" 

>> Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 3:55 PM

>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] AD - Lunar available for sale

>>

>>

>>

>> How is this gouging people, over a $1,000.00 worth of lunar material started

>> at just 99 cents? This material has been running long before this

>> conversation started.

>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140320408963

>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200341681245

>>

>>

>> I have several auctions running, all started at just 99 cents. Let the buyer

>> decide who is or is not gouging as this is a ridiculous statement when it

>> comes to me and has no merit whatsoever.

>>

>> Best Regards,

>>

>> Adam

>>

>>

>>

>> --- On Sun, 5/17/09, GREG LINDH wrote:

>>

>>> From: GREG LINDH 

>>> Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] AD - Lunar available for sale

>>> To: raremeteorites at yahoo.com

>>> Cc: "meteorite-list" 

>>> Date: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 3:25 PM

>>>

>>>

>>> Adam,

>>>

>>>

>>> Actually, it has *everything* to do with

>>> competition. There are those on this List, though they

>>> be few in number, who don't gouge their customers when they

>>> sell a meteorite. Too many dealers charge outrageous

>>> prices for similar products. Inevitably, I read posts

>>> from the high priced dealers putting down those dealers who

>>> give a better bargain.

>>> I'll say it again, it has everything to do

>>> with competion. As one who has limited financial

>>> resources, I have always appreciated those dealers who give

>>> a good product, while charging a *fair* price.

>>> Sometimes I have to laugh and just shake my head when I see

>>> some of the "deals" being offered by the more unreasonable,

>>> high charging dealers.

>>>

>>> Greg Lindh

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>> Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 09:27:25 -0700

>>>> From: raremeteorites at yahoo.com

>>>> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com

>>>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] AD - Lunar available for

>>> sale

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> This has nothing to do with competition. It has

>>> everything to do with proper chain of custody, legitimate

>>> nomenclature assignment, TKW figures, science and collector

>>> confidence. Just because a Moroccan dealer says something is

>>> a lunar meteorite does not make it so. Just ask the buyers

>>> who got ripped off in Tucson this year and the year before.

>>> There have been some very convincing lunar-looking Eucrites

>>> that have fooled some of the best. There was an embarrassing

>>> incident where a scientist claimed something was lunar

>>> before running all of the tests and it turned out to be a

>>> Eucrite. Many dealers had to recall the material after being

>>> in a hurry to put it on the market.

>>>>

>>>> To put things in perspective, Luniates are considered

>>> the top of the meteorite collectibles chain every since the

>>> article, "Mining for Meteorites" in the Smithsonian magazine

>>> stated so. Only advanced mineral collections incorporate

>>> Meteorite specimens. A mineral specimen is worth a fraction

>>> of its cost if the find location and history are not known.

>>>>

>>>> Advanced mineral collectors would be appalled by what

>>> has happened with Martian meteorites and self-pairings. One

>>> well-known dealer purchased material from a Moroccan who

>>> stated it was paired to one of our stones. We publicly

>>> objected to this dealer using nomenclature assigned to our

>>> stones so he sent a piece in for study. It turned out to be

>>> a completely new Martian meteorite that was almost lost to

>>> science.

>>>>

>>>> I would dislike seeing Lunar meteorites being treated

>>> the same as some Martian meteorites. Total known weights

>>> have been carefully recorded to this point and it would be a

>>> shame to lose control.

>>>>

>>>> I congratulate anybody who is able to acquire lunar

>>> material, have it Laboratory confirmed and pass the

>>> Meteoritical Society Nomenclature Committee for name

>>> assignment. It would demonstrate proper respect for some of

>>> the world's rarest material. Anything less is a disservice.

>>> Dealers are not allowed to rate their own diamonds or coins

>>> so why should meteorites that are much more rare be any

>>> different?

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Best Regards,

>>>>

>>>> Adam

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> --- On Sun, 5/17/09, Galactic Stone &

>>> Ironworks wrote:

>>>>

>>>>> From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks

>>>>> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] AD - Lunar available

>>> for sale

>>>>> To: "Greg Catterton"

>>>>> Cc: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com

>>>>> Date: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 8:32 AM

>>>>> Be careful Greg, now that you are

>>>>> offering planetaries at reasonable

>>>>> prices, you are going to be viewed as competition

>>> by the

>>>>> big guys -

>>>>> then they will start stabbing you in the

>>> back. Those

>>>>> who are driven

>>>>> by money are threatened by those like us who don't

>>> give a

>>>>> crap about

>>>>> profits. ;)

>>>>>

>>>>> Nice lunar. If I wasn't already sitting on

>>> my fair

>>>>> share of lunars,

>>>>> I'd buy a piece.

>>>>>

>>>>> Good luck.

>>>>>

>>>>> Best regards

>>>>>

>>>>> MikeG

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> On 5/17/09, Greg Catterton

>>>>> wrote:

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Not once did I ever say to anyone it came from

>>> you.

>>>>> Anyone who claims I did,

>>>>>> I invite them post the email where I made

>>> that

>>>>> claim...

>>>>>>

>>>>>> I am sending a sample off to be tested Monday

>>> to Tony

>>>>> Irving and the test

>>>>>> results will speak for themselves as to what

>>> this is -

>>>>> however Im sure

>>>>>> anyone can see the picture of what I have:

>>>>>> http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c165/jedisdiamond/DSCF1732.jpg

>>>>>> and compare it with this:

>>>>>> http://www.meteoritemarket.com/NWA4734-596A.jpg

>>>>>>

>>>>>> I want to state for the record, I am selling

>>> this for

>>>>> less becouse I dont

>>>>>> need to get rich off selling it. I dont sell

>>>>> meteorites to make a living,

>>>>>> pay for cars or houses... I sell them to help

>>> increase

>>>>> my personal

>>>>>> collection.

>>>>>> I know what I paid for this and if the others

>>> who have

>>>>> this paid anywhere

>>>>>> close to what I did, they could sell it for

>>> half what

>>>>> they do and still

>>>>>> triple the money they put into it - even with

>>> cutting

>>>>> loss.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> I know who I got it from is honest and

>>> reliable as for

>>>>> the authenticity.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> That said, I wont sell anymore until testing

>>> is done,

>>>>> but when it is, I will

>>>>>> sell it for well under $1,200 per gram...

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Greg C.

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>> --- On Sun, 5/17/09, habibi abdelaziz

>>>>> wrote:

>>>>>>

>>>>>>> From: habibi abdelaziz

>>>>>>> Subject: AD - Lunar available for sale

>>>>>>> To: "meteorite list"

>>>>>>> Cc: star_wars_collector at yahoo.com

>>>>>>> Date: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 3:32 AM

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> hi greg

>>>>>>> this material is not from me ,

>>> however

>>>>> it looks like

>>>>>>> the monzoggabro,

>>>>>>> but i m not sur is it isone from photo

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> aziz

>>>>>>> habibi aziz

>>>>>>> box 70 erfoud 52200 morroco

>>>>>>> phone. 21235576145

>>>>>>> fax.21235576170

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>> ______________________________________________

>>>>>> http://www.meteoritecentral.com

>>>>>> Meteorite-list mailing list

>>>>>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com

>>>>>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list

>>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> --

>>>>>

>>> .........................................................

>>>>> Michael Gilmer (Louisiana, USA)

>>>>> Member of the Meteoritical Society.

>>>>> Member of the Bayou Region Stargazers Network.

>>>>> Websites - http://www.galactic-stone.com and

>>>>> http://www.glassthrower.com

>>>>>

>>> ..........................................................

>>>>> ______________________________________________

>>>>> http://www.meteoritecentral.com

>>>>> Meteorite-list mailing list

>>>>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com

>>>>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list

>>>>>

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