NWA 12767 — COMPLETE SLICE OF A SINGULAR METEORITE FROM A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN ASTEROID

Lot 18
23.02.2022 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
$ 4 410
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 716403
Lot 18 | NWA 12767 — COMPLETE SLICE OF A SINGULAR METEORITE FROM A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN ASTEROID
Estimate value
$ 3 000 – 5 000
NWA 12767 is an extremely exotic meteorite. There is no other meteorite that looks quite like this nor one with the same chemical composition. About 90% of iron meteorites have been assigned to specific chemical groups. The members of each group have related compositions. Every member of a single group has a familial association — all originated from the same parent asteroid. Iron meteorites in different groups are from different asteroids. Approximately 10% of iron meteorites do not fit into an existing group and are referred to as being “ungrouped”. Such is the case with NWA 12767, the 12,767th meteorite to be recovered from the North West African grid of the Sahara Desert and then analyzed prior to publication in the scientific journal of record, the Meteoritical Bulletin. When found, NWA 12767 was a 6.3 kilogram meteorite featuring long wands of kamacite scattered throughout the matrix. This is an exquisite, one-of-a-kind meteorite — the sole representative of an asteroid which no longer exists — and now offered is a superlative example.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.

69 x 129 x 3mm (2.75 x 5 x 0.1 in.) and 153.6g (0.33 lbs)
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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09.02.2022 – 23.02.2022
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
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