Largest Martian Meteorite Sold at Auction After Maine Museum Misses Out

A 54-pound Martian meteorite, designated NWA 16788, was sold at Sotheby’s in New York earlier this month for $5.3 million to an undisclosed buyer. The rock, discovered in Niger in 2023, is now recognized as the largest known piece of Mars on Earth, overtaking the previous record-holder, Taoudenni 002, a 32-pound specimen housed at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum in Bethel.

Darryl Pitt, a meteorite dealer and consultant for the Maine museum, said he initially secured a deal to purchase NWA 16788 in October 2023 for just under $500,000. However, after being asked to send payment to a new dealer and facing a sudden price increase, Pitt declined to proceed. He was later informed the meteorite had been sold to another buyer. Pitt reflected, "I allowed my anger to cloud my perspective and I balked at paying the extra money now being demanded. I was later informed his partner bought out his interest and that the partner sold the rock to a Chinese buyer. Voila."

The Maine museum, which boasts an extensive collection of meteorites, has updated its displays to reflect that Taoudenni 002 is now the second largest Martian meteorite on Earth. Despite the loss, Pitt noted that the museum still holds the largest collection of Martian meteorites and more lunar material than NASA and other natural history museums combined. He also emphasized that size is not the only measure of value, as the museum is set to acquire a smaller but scientifically significant Martian rock.

Martian meteorites are rare, with fewer than 400 identified globally, most of which are found in North Africa. These rocks are authenticated by comparing their oxygen isotopes to those measured by Mars rovers. The trade in such meteorites often involves complex networks of dealers and collectors.