Largest Martian Meteorite Discovered on Earth Set for Sotheby’s Auction

A rare Martian meteorite weighing 54 pounds (24 kilograms) and designated NWA 16788 is set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York on July 16. The meteorite, discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2023, is the largest known piece of Mars ever found on Earth. Sotheby’s has estimated its value at up to $4 million, with bidding starting at $1.9 million.

According to Sotheby’s, NWA 16788 traveled approximately 140 million miles before landing in the desert, likely after being dislodged from Mars by an asteroid impact. The meteorite is about 70% larger than the next-largest Martian specimen and accounts for roughly 6.5% of the total mass of all Martian meteorites known on Earth. Of more than 77,000 recognized meteorites, only about 400 originate from Mars, making this find particularly significant.

Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman for science and natural history at Sotheby’s, described the meteorite as “a discovery of extraordinary significance—the largest Martian meteorite ever found on Earth, and the most valuable of its kind ever offered at auction.”

The Meteorological Society reports that the meteorite was discovered in Niger’s Kefkaf region exactly two years before the auction date. Its surface features a fusion crust and regmaglypts, indicating its fiery descent through Earth’s atmosphere, and shows minimal terrestrial weathering. A sample sent to the Shanghai Astronomy Museum confirmed it as a shergottite, a type of igneous rock formed by volcanic activity on Mars.

Prior to the auction, NWA 16788 was exhibited by the Italian Space Agency in Rome and a private gallery in Arezzo, Tuscany. The sale has prompted debate among experts about whether such specimens should remain in private collections or be displayed in museums. Steve Brusatte, a professor at the University of Edinburgh, expressed concern, saying, > "It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch. It belongs in a museum, where it can be studied, and where it can be enjoyed by children and families and the public at large." In contrast, Julia Cartwright, a planetary scientist at the University of Leicester, noted that the market for meteorites supports scientific discovery, stating, > "Ultimately, if there was no market for searching, collecting and selling meteorites, we would not have anywhere near as many in our collections—and this drives the science!"

Regardless of its final destination, NWA 16788 remains a notable example of the rare material from Mars that reaches Earth, offering scientists valuable insights into the Red Planet.