Stone Meteorites

Stone meteorites, the most common type found on Earth, are composed mainly of silicate minerals and can be classified into chondrites and achondrites. Chondrites, the more primitive variety, contain small, spherical grains called chondrules that formed in the early solar system. Achondrites, on the other hand, lack chondrules and are often fragments of differentiated asteroids with distinct geological histories. These meteorites are crucial for understanding the formation and evolution of planetary bodies, as they preserve clues about the early solar system's conditions and processes. While they can appear similar to terrestrial rocks, their extraterrestrial origin is confirmed through their unique mineral compositions and isotopic signatures.

Northwest Africa NWA Meteorite | 49.04 Grams | Individual Fragment | Sahara

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$55.00 CAD

NWA 267 Meteorite | 10.8 Grams | H4 Chondrite | First Used in Legal Tender Coin | Sahara 1

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$55.00 CAD

The NWA 267 meteorite fragment offered here is in as found condition. It weighs 10.8 grams, with dimensions of 31x22x16 mm. The meteorite will come with two specimen description cards including a signed "The Mark Bostick Collection" card.

This meteorite was once a pile of weathered unclassified meteorite fragments brought to the 2000 Denver show by a Moroccan fossil dealer. These fragments, 73.9 kg. worth, where purchased by Canadian meteorite dealer Dean Bessey, who was told the following on the meteorites: "A nomad found an area with a lot of unusual strange stones near the Morocco/Algeria border. He brought one to a fossil dealer and asked: "I hear that you will pay money for stones like this". After shaking his head in disbelief at a positive response, the nomad gathered up all his camels, wives and children and brought them into the desert to search over his personal strewn field." Or at least that is how the story goes.

Many thousands of stones, 73.9 kilograms, were recovered, most of these fragments under 20 grams. Then 356 grams and a thin section of the meteorite was donated to the Vernadaky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, where it was classified by M. Ivanova. This meteorite, an ordinary stone chondrite, H4 class has a Shock Rating of 2 and a Weathering Grade of 2-3 and the classification information was published in Meteoritical Bulletin 85.

While the stone did not get a heavy weathering grade, very few specimens show any crust. This meteorite is believed to have come from the Hebe class asteroids. I've included an informational photo of a NWA 267 Meteorite thin section which are used in earth geology, and in meteorites to identify the minerals in them. The photo shows a large imperfect elongated chondrule. Chondrules are unique features to meteorites. The chondrule shown is composed of mostly pyroxene and the bright colored minerals scattered throughout the thin section is mostly olivine.

One of the fun facts is that the NWA 267 was also the first meteorite ever minted onto a real legal tender coin. The National Bank of Liberia made 999 of these $10.00 Silver coins in 2004. The meteorite used in the coin, was supplied by Mark Bostick himself and his name and signature came on the certificate with the coin. The provided images of the coin shows a nomad on a camel on the obverse. A meteorite is falling through the star filled sky in the background. Reverse of coin has a seal of the Liberia Government and notes its value. We include 2 specimen cards but unfortunately the thin section and coin used in the ad are NOT included!