MYSTERY WIRE — It’s an auction that’s out of this world. Christie’s in New York is putting a treasure trove of space rocks under the hammer this month, including one of the largest lunar slices on Earth.
In a move to attract buyers, almost all the lots are being offered with no reserve.
Christie’s is putting some otherworldly items up for sale. This month, the auction house is holding its annual sale of lunar, Martian and rare meteorites.
One of the highlights is a “Spectacular Oriented Stone” meteorite that didn’t tumble or invert as it plunged into Africa’s Sahara Desert.
As a result, the surface that faced Earth now features almost sculptural elongated flight marks.
“In my mind, and I think in most people’s mind, it’s sort of the archetypal image of a meteorite,” said James Hyslop, head of Christie’s science and natural history department.
“We’ve all seen Hollywood, the meteorite plowing towards Earth. And in the movies, it’s never tumbling chaotically, it’s always just coming at you in a single direction aggressively. And when it does it, it just looks like this ideal that we have. Not only is it rare, but it just creates something special and desirable.”
Christie’s auction house sale coordinator Gillian Hawley holds a rock and metal meteorite that was once part of an asteroid in New York on Monday, February 8, 2021. The meteorite was found in Russia and is being auctioned online. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) 
Christie’s auction house sale coordinator Gillian Hawley holds an iron and nickel meteorite that was once part of an asteroid, in New York on Monday, February 8, 2021. The meteorite was found in a Texas oil field and is being auctioned online. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) 
Christie’s auction house sale coordinator Gillian Hawley holds a meteorite from the moon in New York on Monday, February 8, 2021. The meteorite was found in the Sahara Desert and is being auctioned online. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) 
Christie’s auction house sale coordinator Gillian Hawley holds a stone meteorite found in New York on Monday, February 8, 2021. The meteorite was found in the Sahara Desert and is being auctioned online. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) 
Christie’s auction house sale coordinator Gillian Hawley holds a stone meteorite found in New York on Monday, February 8, 2021. The meteorite was found in the Sahara Desert and is being auctioned online. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
Other highlights include this slice of lunar rock, claimed to be the fourth-largest cut and polished slice of the moon.
The rock from which it was cut was discovered in Mali in December 2019. The slice measures about 40 centimeters in length and is estimated to fetch up to $350,000 USD.
“The rock from which this was cut is larger than any of the rocks brought back by the Apollo missions,” said Hyslop. “It was a 40-kilogram rock that this was cut from. And it’s been sliced, one, so that scientists are able to study it, this is quite a rare type of lunar meteorite and lunar meteorites are pretty rare in themselves, and just because of the size of it four huge slices have been able to be made.”
This chemically primitive CM2 meteorite, called “Cold Bokkeveld,” was part of a meteorite that fell to South Africa in 1838.
It holds pre-solar grains formed long before our own solar system came into existence, meaning it contains some of the “oldest matter mankind can touch,” said Christie’s.
“These meteorites contain elements that existed before anything that we’ll ever be able to encounter,” said Hyslop.
The auction, staged online due to the coronavirus pandemic, opened for bidding on Tuesday and will close on Feb. 23. It includes a dozen lunar and Martian rocks.
Hyslop said they often see 50% to 60% of bids come through in the last 24 hours of online auctions.
Of the 75 lots, 72 are being offered with no reserve, and estimates start from $250 USD.
“Who wouldn’t want to hold a piece of another world in your hand? I mean, it is quite a humbling experience to hold something that we know is otherworldly and demand is hugely international,” said Hyslop.
