On Wednesday, July 16, the largest Mars meteorite on Earth will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York City, with an expected price range of $2 to $4 million.
Weighing 54 pounds, this meteorite is 70% larger than any other known Mars meteorite on Earth, as reported by space.com. According to CBS News, it is a new arrival to Earth with very little weathering.
Currently, this rare treasure is on display in a building at Lenox Hill in the Upper East Side of New York City, at the intersection of 72nd Street and York Avenue.
The official name of this extraterrestrial marvel is NWA 16788, with NWA standing for “Northwest Africa,” indicating the discovery location of the rock.
Cassandra Hatton, Vice President of Science and Natural History at Sotheby’s, shared in an interview with space.com that she first heard about this Mars rock from the seller approximately a year ago. The seller learned of the specimen from a meteorite hunter in Africa.
The seller subjected the rock to rigorous, complex, and professional testing procedures, ultimately determining “this is a Mars rock.” Prior to its entry into Sotheby’s auction, the seller provided an estimate based on “context, background, history, rarity, and importance.”
Hatton described, “This meteorite has an incredibly striking fusion crust on its exterior. You could almost use it as a set piece for a Mars movie—put some miniature figurines on it, and you can see grooves, ripples, and mountain ranges.”
She further noted that “some museums lack the funding and personnel to properly care for their collections,” prompting many private collectors to step in to rescue these items and ensure their proper preservation. “They often loan the collections to museums and provide additional funds in loan agreements for hiring staff to maintain the collections or sponsoring post-doctoral researchers for research.”