Largest Moon Rock Ever Auctioned Expected To Sell For $380,000

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Largest Moon Rock Ever Auctioned Expected To Sell For $380,000

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday September 20, 2012 @07:00PM from the a-lot-of-cheese dept.

First time accepted submitter amkkhan writes "One lucky space-lover with some extra cash could become the proud new owner of the largest moon rock ever to be auctioned, according to the auction house Heritage Auctions. The moon rock, known as Dar al Gani 1058, is part of a lunar meteorite that was found on Earth in 1988 and is expected to fetch as much as $380,000 at auction."

49 comments

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Break it into 1,000 pieces.. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 19:07 · Score: 5, Insightful

Then you could sell each one for $1,000, appeal to a larger market, and make a shit ton more money.
1. Re:Break it into 1,000 pieces.. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 02:29 · Score: 0
  
  I wonder how much an 8-ball of moon rock would go for. How much do you think Cave Johnson would pay for that?
2. Re:Break it into 1,000 pieces.. by mhajicek · 2012-09-21 06:33 · Score: 1
  
  What's sad is that Elvis' underwear is more highly valued.
Wow... by SomePgmr · 2012-09-20 19:08 · Score: 5, Interesting

Wow...

"For example, three seed-sized pieces of the moon that were brought back to Earth by a Russian robotic probe in 1970 were sold at auction 30 years later for $442,500," Pearlman told Space.com. "And while the moon rocks recovered by the Apollo astronauts are considered National Treasures and have never been awarded to individuals, hypothetical appraisals have suggested even a 1-gram sample could be worth millions."
I think NASA ought to be working on ways to ship back containers of moon rocks. Their budget woes would be solved!
1. Re:Wow... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 19:15 · Score: 1
  
  Moon rocks are only worth so much because they're really hard to obtain. Were NASA (or some other space agency) to flood Earth with moon rocks the price would floor. Same goes for paintings, they are only worth millions because there's only one of each.
2. Re:Wow... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 19:36 · Score: 1
  
  You mean that eating a Moon rock doesn't extend your life by 10 years?
  Dammit, dammit, dammit! $50k in Moon rocks and $75k in dental work wasted!
3. Re:Wow... by wonkey_monkey · 2012-09-20 19:38 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  On the Moon, no-one can hear a "whoosh."
  
  --
  systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
4. Re:Wow... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 19:39 · Score: 0
  
  Wow...
  
  "For example, three seed-sized pieces of the moon that were brought back to Earth by a Russian robotic probe in 1970 were sold at auction 30 years later for $442,500," Pearlman told Space.com. "And while the moon rocks recovered by the Apollo astronauts are considered National Treasures and have never been awarded to individuals, hypothetical appraisals have suggested even a 1-gram sample could be worth millions."
  I think NASA ought to be working on ways to ship back containers of moon rocks. Their budget woes would be solved!
  Supply vs demand dude...the price of moon rock will fall if a lot of them are on earth
5. Re:Wow... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 20:04 · Score: 1
  
  Wow...
  
  "For example, three seed-sized pieces of the moon that were brought back to Earth by a Russian robotic probe in 1970 were sold at auction 30 years later for $442,500," Pearlman told Space.com. "And while the moon rocks recovered by the Apollo astronauts are considered National Treasures and have never been awarded to individuals, hypothetical appraisals have suggested even a 1-gram sample could be worth millions."
  I think NASA ought to be working on ways to ship back containers of moon rocks. Their budget woes would be solved!
  Supply vs demand dude...the price of moon rock will fall if a lot of them are on earth
  Hmm. How about the reverse? What if I charge people for not crashing all of the Moon rocks (7.35E19 tonnes) into the Earth with my giant laser and tractor beam. How much would that be worth? Moon rock collectors would certainly be happy that the value of their collections aren't devalued.
6. Re:Wow... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · 2012-09-20 20:54 · Score: 2
  
  On the Moon, no-one can hear a "whoosh."
  On the Earth, no-one can see a "scam" from De Beers.
  NASA should hire De Beers as a consultant, and convince the women of the Earth that their men must buy them Moon Rock rings. Tighten demand and fire up demand with rocket engine thrusters.
  NASA would have so much money, that we all would be vacationing in their Las Vegas on Mars resort, really soon!
  
  --
  Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
7. Re:Wow... by Intrepid+imaginaut · 2012-09-20 22:02 · Score: 1
  
  You'd have a good lengthy window though, where they might be falling in price but still worth more than gold for some decades. Especially if they were attached to important missions, then they gain historical value as well. Say the first mission to set up a moon base in a lava tube also ships back a hundred tons of moon rock, that stuff would have permanent significance. Maybe even get some artisans to work the stone.
8. Re:Wow... by Robert+Zenz · 2012-09-20 23:54 · Score: 1
  
  No, turned out that if you ground it up it's pure poison.
9. Re:Wow... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 01:23 · Score: 0
  
  NASA should hire De Beers as a consultant, and convince the women of the Earth that their men must buy them Moon Rock rings.
  I am doing my job as a patriot and a geek, here:
  
  My love for you is like the moon. It moves oceans. It lights up the sky. It guides me through dark times. It may wane, but it always comes back as big and bright as ever. That's why I got you this Lunaring for six months salary.
  
  NB: Don't bring up the fact that 12 guys have previously been all over that. WILL NOT END WELL.
10. Re:Wow... by antdude · 2012-09-21 02:13 · Score: 1
  
  Too many moon rocks will make the prices fall. :(
  
  --
  Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
11. Re:Wow... by weakref · 2012-09-21 04:00 · Score: 1
  
  Different with paintings. One can not flood Earth with Renoirs and Rembrandts.
12. Re:Wow... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 04:59 · Score: 0
  
  Some have been loaned out though!
  http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/22/lost-moon-rock-turns-up-in-bill-clintons-gubernatorial-files/
13. Re:Wow... by mhajicek · 2012-09-21 06:18 · Score: 1
  
  Ever heard of a photocopier? There are even painting robots that can replicate the brush strokes.
14. Re:Wow... by wallsg · 2012-09-21 11:32 · Score: 1
  
  No, turned out that if you ground it up it's pure poison.
  Darn. When I really want them I have no moderator points.
15. Re:Wow... by Ol+Biscuitbarrel · 2012-09-21 12:04 · Score: 1
  
  It's "Moon rock! Oh wow."
  "California Lady..."
  "Corn, chicken, green peppers, chilis, *sigh* onions..."
Reasonable by symes · 2012-09-20 19:08 · Score: 1

If rarity in part determines price then I am surprised this isn't selling for more. I have heard, and I am not sure how true this is, that someone with a rock that fell from the sky broke it up and sold it by the gram - and made a lot more money. One thought though, how can people be sure this is a moon rock? All I am getting is that it was a part of a meteor.
1. Re:Reasonable by Canazza · 2012-09-20 20:37 · Score: 1
  
  The question is whether or not it's "The biggest moon rock ever" or "The biggest moon rock ever to be auctioned"
  
  --
  It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
2. Re:Reasonable by Chrisq · 2012-09-20 20:40 · Score: 1
  
  The question is whether or not it's "The biggest moon rock ever" or "The biggest moon rock ever to be auctioned"
  No, to see "The biggest moon rock ever" look up into the sky!
meteorite by mirix · 2012-09-20 19:18 · Score: 4, Insightful

Calling it a moon rock is kind of cheating, as it's probably been on earth longer than humans have. (uh.. right?)
Moon rock makes me think brought by humans, or something like this. Really neat, though.

--
Sent from my PDP-11
1. Re:meteorite by mirix · 2012-09-20 19:20 · Score: 2
  
  >Most left the Moon in the past 100,000 years. After leaving the Moon, most lunar meteoroids go into orbit around Earth and eventually succumb to Earth's gravity.
  ok. Not longer than humans
  
  --
  Sent from my PDP-11
2. Re:meteorite by Sqr(twg) · 2012-09-21 02:41 · Score: 1
  
  Exactly. Don't buy from this frauds!
  I, on the other hand, happen have a rock formed by matter that was once ejected in a supernova.
  Only $10 000 per gram.
  Any takers?
Oops! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 19:20 · Score: 0

Samzenpus accidentally misspelled rich as lucky...
1. Re:Oops! by Taco+Cowboy · 2012-09-20 19:24 · Score: 1
  
  Samzenpus accidentally misspelled rich as lucky...
  You wanna change this :
  "One lucky space-lover with some extra cash ..."
  to this :
  "One rich space-lover with some extra luck ..." ?
  
  --
  Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
How about by rossdee · 2012-09-20 19:28 · Score: 1, Funny

How about auctioning off the big piece of moon rock that they didn't brink back. That ought to fund space exploration for a long time without having to worry about congress cutting their budget. Of course they would have to do it before someone else (China) lands on it and claims it.
1. Re:How about by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 20:02 · Score: 0
  
  100 countries, the USA and China among them, have already agreed not do that.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty
2. Re:How about by stephanruby · 2012-09-20 20:38 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  Of course they would have to do it before someone else (China) lands on it and claims it.
  Sorry, Putin already claimed the moon. He claimed Russian scientists carbon dated a bunch of rocks in Siberia and found a connection with the moon.
3. Re:How about by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 21:22 · Score: 0
  
  Actually, scams involving selling the moon have been so recurrent throughout history that, in French, it's been turned into an expression.
  Politicians are selling the moon to whoever wants to believe them.
4. Re:How about by mirix · 2012-09-20 22:26 · Score: 1
  
  I heard he is going to dress up like the moon, and orbit around it a few times.
  Then he will lead the moon home to it's rightful spot - in the perpetually fog shrouded wasteland below the arctic peaks of Zokov island.
  
  --
  Sent from my PDP-11
5. Re:How about by Robert+Zenz · 2012-09-20 23:56 · Score: 1
  
  Isn't there a guy in the USA which sells ground on the moon?
6. Re:How about by HornWumpus · 2012-09-21 12:38 · Score: 1
  
  There are a few. They sell novelty land titles.
  
  --
  John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
All fun and games... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 20:50 · Score: 1

This selling moonrock business is all fun and games until NASA comes along and says all your moonrock are belong to us.
I want to know by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-20 21:03 · Score: 0

how it got here.
Largest? by Arancaytar · 2012-09-20 21:20 · Score: 3, Funny

Pretty sure the largest moon rock ever is still in orbit.
Moon rock by david0019 · 2012-09-20 22:15 · Score: 1

After few years there can't be any value of moon rock b'coz our scientists will make any idea for trip to moon..lol...lot's of Hope!!!!
1. Re:Moon rock by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 05:46 · Score: 0
  
  You speak like a fucking retard.
2. Re:Moon rock by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 09:34 · Score: 0
  
  Us fucking retards are offended by that comparison.
one would expect from /. by mapkinase · 2012-09-20 23:18 · Score: 1

one would expect from /. at least to put the stuff that matters the most in the summary. But no... Instead, the price. Who cares?
"The rock, which weighs in at 4 pounds"

--
I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
1. Re:one would expect from /. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 03:21 · Score: 0
  
  Because Slashdot is all about the dollars anymore. It's not about the science and technology.
Provenance? by ckaminski · 2012-09-21 00:53 · Score: 1

How the hell can anyone say with any amount of certainty where a meteorite come from?
1. Re:Provenance? by wbr1 · 2012-09-21 01:12 · Score: 1
  
  I am not a geologist (INAG?), but there are a few things I thing are accepted. Precise chemical composition, presence of certain compounds, and microscopic or crystaline) structure, whch IIRC devels differently under different temperature (of course), and gravity environments.
  
  --
  Silence is a state of mime.
2. Re:Provenance? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 01:14 · Score: 1
  
  It's called science, you might have heard of it, even as an American.
Whoever buys this is gonna be pissed... by newspapercrane · 2012-09-21 01:33 · Score: 1

Whoever buys this is gonna be pissed in a few years when we've got people living on the moon.
Moon Rock! *snigger* by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-21 02:37 · Score: 0

"I found moon rock in my nose!"
$380,000 by rush,overlord,rush! · 2012-09-25 16:16 · Score: 0

Anyone interested in this number? 1$ for 1km, 380000km is about the distance from the Moon to the Earth. Standard of space-shipping?