My meteorite findings N Ca.

[skip68]

As some of you may know, a very rare Meteor fell in northern California about a month ago.   Well, it just so happens that our family ranch is in the heart of it so I came up here to stake my claim.   The going rate is $1,000 a gram. This is some of what I've found and that's all I'm showing at this point. 
This piece is 6.13 grams = $6,130. 
My son and I have been very lucky with our hunting.   

[skip68]

OK, maybe I'll show one more .....
This is 7.8 grams = $7,800. 

[skip68]

Maybe just one more .....    
This one is 4.3 grams = $4,300. 

[ChgrSteve67]

You'll have the money to get that GL done in no time.

Cool stuff

Are you selling what you found?

[Drache]

Back when my grandmother was a girl my great grandfather came across a meteor inside a huge crater. It was about the size of a basket ball. He had it sitting in my great grandmother's garden for the longest time. No idea what ever happened to it.

[skip68]

We have about 12 hours into finding this treasure. The experts say we have lots out here to be found and we will find it.  I've sold about $10,000 worth yesterday and have lots of buyers hounding me.
The price is actually going up and it's crazy.  This stuff is 20× the price of gold and way easier to find.   Skips out .....

[skip68]

Just for the general public....
We've had some small issues with trespassers with attitudes coming out here thinking they're going to strike it rich.  I AM ARMED AND WOULD LIKE TO KEEP MY GUN ON MY HIP IN IT'S HOLSTER.  YOU WILL BE INVITED TO LEAVE AS THIS IS ALL PRIVATE PROPERTY.   

My mom had a problem 2 days ago with another of these idiots.  She told this guy that the land he was standing on was hers and it's private property.  He got mouthy with her and told her no it's not bitch.  She called me and I come flying up on my quad and asked what his problem was.  His tone changed very quickly and just kept saying it's cool man, I'm leaving.   
This isn't geared towards my fellow Charger members, just any of the lurkers that may read this and plan on coming out here with less than honest intentions. 
I don't want any trouble or problems or my family harassed.   

[ChgrSteve67]

I would say that with this kind of attention being armed is a good idea and definately what is needed to let these kind of people know you not kidding when you tell them to leave.

But hey you have to take the bad with the good.

Nice to have that kind of money drop into your back yard.

[Chad L. Magee]

Nice finds!  Are you using a metal detector to find them?  I need to go searching around my uncle's farm (I have full permission) as a metor landed around there back in the late 1870s according to a newspaper article that I found last year.  Back then, the land was mostly uninhibited ranch pasture and Nebraskans back then just were not wanting "rocks from space".  I think I know where to look....
 
As for the outsiders, I would put up "No tresspassing" signs every 10 feet around the property to give the wanderers a clue that they are not wanted there.  A car collecting friend has a full-size metal cutout that is in the shape of a guy that has three shotgun slugs put thru it.  He posted that on his outside fence to his car pasture with a sign "Free lead if you tresspass!".  It has scared away alot of people who would have been wanderers.....

[skip68]

You bet Steve.   A few nights ago our neighbors caught a guy hiding in the bushes.  I only have petty cash on me and any and ALL large amounts are deposited in the bank.  

[skip68]

Metal detectors don't work.   WE have lots of no trespassing signs already. 

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Thats awesome Chuck. Very glad to see its working out for you. 

[RECHRGD]

Where exactly are you located Chuck?  Your friend Bob

[TheGhost]

Where exactly are you located Chuck?  Your friend Bob

Inquiring minds want to know.

Oh, and if you see some lights around the farm tonight, don't worry.  It's nothing.

[Dans 68]

Chuck,

Is this for real? You really have sold space gravel for lots of money? Its just that you have this history of pulling legs.... 

If true way to go.     When you've collected enough cash get a '69; if you really want a GL, that is....    Good hunting!

Dan

[skip68]

Yes Dan it's true.   Here's a sample for you. 

[BananaDan]

Skip, this is awesome, good for you!  I'm curious though, two things.  First, how do you find them and tell a meteorite from a rock?  Also, what types of people are buying them from you at those prices?  Scientists, universities or government types for study?  Or are there people out there with loads of cash that just collect them?

[mrsskip68]

Chuck!!!! Shut the *&%$# up!  Less is more. 

[skip68]

These are private collectors buying them.   Look up "Coloma lotus meteorite"   

[XH29N0G]

You might want to see what a CM chondrite tastes like.  Some of the other kinds have been eaten.

http://www.meteorites.tv/content/51-ureilites-composition

[bobs66440]

Pennies from heaven!!  Good for you!!

[68X426]

I'm confused. The alleged meteorite pieces are listed on EB and CL for less than you're getting.

http://www.ebay.com/csc/Meteorites-Tektites-/3239/i.html?_sop=15&_nkw=sutter+meteorite&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc

So how do you document your pieces (and get top dollar) compared to any one else's pieces (from 99 cents to a couple hundred)?

[Fred]

I've been hiding out in your so called mancave (old mine shaft) for days now waiting till the coast is clear..............I'm starving! Somebody bring some food.
Oh! and I've been watching you get up to all sorts of shit in the middle of the night skip. You're lucky I didn't bring my camera.  

[BananaDan]

I had no idea there was such a collector's market for meteorites.  Crazy.  I'm still curious how you can tell one from a rock when walking through fields hunting. 

[Tilar]

I can't imagine why anyone would spend that kinda money on a rock. I have 130 acres with lots of rocks and arrow heads, anyone wanna make an offer? Say 28 million dollars?   


Skippy if that's for real, I'm happy for ya... but for some reason I keep hearing this "Wolf Wolf" in the background. 

[XH29N0G]

So how do you figure out something is a meteorite?  There are some web sites that describe this and people at museums and universities will generally be happy to help with identification.

This particular meteorite is an unusual case and because the meteorite fragments are of a kind that looks different from many rocks that one might find.  They also might have a fusion crust, a layer of material that melted on during the transport through the atmosphere.  In other cases it can be extremely difficult to identify meteorites, and many things that are thought to be meteorites are not.  The way around this is to go to areas where rocks are not likely to be found.  Collecting expeditions by various countries are done on ice caps and have found very important meteorites that have taught us a lot.  Recently, it has been recognized that some deserts are good places to search for meteorites. Every so often one falls from the sky.  There was this one.  There was another fall of a meteorite from Mars relatively recently, and there was another fireball that was captured on a camera network in australia and triangulation was used to eventually find what they think was the meteorite responsible for it.  These things are really neat and have taught us a lot about the solar system and its materials.  The collectors usually share or sell meteorites to researchers and the interest in them, adds interest and contributes to finding more.  We actually have a number of meteorites that are from the moon.  These meteorites and the martian meteorites were knocked off these smaller bodies by other meteorites and then happened to be captured by the graviational potential well of Earth.

If you decide to search, there are basic rules in many countries and meteorites found on public lands have rules associated with them.

The market is driven by the novelty of these things.  Some have also become valuable because of the number of scientific studies that have been done with them.  I think the cost is nuts sometimes, and have paused a little when handling a1/2 inch piece that is worth the same amount as my car or house.  I work with them, but don't collect them.

 

[skip68]

I had no idea there was such a collector's market for meteorites.  Crazy.  I'm still curious how you can tell one from a rock when walking through fields hunting. 

These are very dark/flat black.  They will also have a thin dark crust around them.  They look real close to charcoal.  We had a thunderstorm last night so everything is wet today ........looks like I'll be postponing my search til later.   I'm looking at buying a camping trailer so that's what I'll be doing today I guess.   

[BananaDan]

Very cool.  Again, good for you.  It's not everyday that it rains money.

[bull]

I wish I had money falling out of the sky onto my property. What usually happens to me is a recurring vortex that sucks it all away.

[tan top]

 good stuff chuckie   

[General_01]

http://news.yahoo.com/meteorites-found-northern-california-likely-giant-fireball-over-210023256.html

Sounds like your are having some great luck Chuck. Hope the rain doesn't end it for you.

[skip68]

Nope, the rain has little or no effect on them.  They've already been rained on 3 times.   I went to check on my claim a little while ago and found another one.  This is just crazy luck.   

[Chad L. Magee]

Metal detectors don't work.   WE have lots of no trespassing signs already. 

The reason why I mentioned a metal detector is that some certain types of meteorites contain high amounts of late transition metals (ie. precious metals) that could be detected that way.  Some even contain very small natural diamonds among the other stuff.  Of course, the diamond ones typically will not register to a metal detector, unless the other stuff is metals.  The diamond meteorites are special to scientists as they were potentially formed differently than earth diamonds and may have different properties than earth materials due to the way the crystal lattice was grown.  That makes them worth much more than an average gemstone.  As advanced as humans are, we are far from knowing all of the secrets of the universe....

As for the signs, greed blinds alot of people......

[stripedelete]

Yes Dan it's true.   Here's a sample for you. 

Bet the IRS would love to see this post.

[BananaDan]

BTW, love the pic of Joe Dirt TT.   

[68X426]

Easy there Dan.

[CB]

 
I wish you and your family finally get some luck and prosperity in your life

[The70RT]

Good deal Chuck. If you had a metal detector and scanned one to see what it does and then if it worked you eould be really in the $$$

[mrsskip68]

Ok guys and Gals. Chuck came and picked my daughter and I up, and brought us out here to N. Cali. Broke two nails, mosquito bites on every limb of my body, sand in my shoes, fleas and ticks, oh and the best part...............flatlanders that moved out here that think they own the american river! They have been harrassing, stalking, and taking pictures of us AND MY KIDS!!!! But dont worry, Wyatt Earp A.K.A. Chuck, is rallying the neighbors and filing restraining orders as I type! Never a dull moment with Chuckie, and camping! Lol! It is such a beautiful area, and we're enjoying gold panning, swimming, meteorite hunting, and just doing what we want! Cheers! Lisa

[Fred]

Okay Lisa, I'm an Aussie, what's a flatlander? 

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Okay Lisa, I'm an Aussie, what's a flatlander? 

Okay, I'm an American, and who the hell knows? That might as well have been in Martian.

[Fred]

Found this explanation/definition on wikipedia..................

A term used in the mountains to describe people from lower elevations.


Flatliner, person whose brain or cardiac activity is measured as a flatline

[68coronetGLwannabe]

Okay Lisa, I'm an Aussie, what's a flatlander? 

Okay, I'm an American, and who the hell knows? That might as well have been in Martian.

A pejorative term for a person who lives at lower altitude, used by those living at higher altitudes

[68X426]

A pejorative term for a person who lives at lower altitude, used by those living at higher altitudes

Very specifically, it's people who are urbanites (California's cities are all at low elevations) and as urbanites they are utterly clueless about weather, snow, trees, trucks, wild animals, rivers, lakes, wilderness, hunting, fishing, logging, mining, clean air, open space, small towns, property rights, dogs, life without shopping malls, and generally lack all elements of self-reliance.

Most commonly the term is used for the city people who move to the Mother Lode of California, between Oakhurst and Quincy (south to north), elevation above 2000 feet to 9000 feet (west to east). They come from San Francisco, La La Land (Los Angeles), and all those flatland places.

The term may be in use in central Oregon and central Washington. Not sure though.

The flatlanders typically just get in the way of productive people, don't want anyone to have fun, and have no manners. Thus the reason for mrsskip mentioning them in her post.

[EDIT: the sole exceptions are Mopar owners in SF and LA. You get it: self-reliance.   ]

[Fred]

Thankyou for that interesting info.   And I'm happy to say there is no way I can be labled one.

[tan top]

BTW, love the pic of Joe Dirt TT.  

 think that film is soo funny  

[mrsskip68]

68X426: You nailed it perfectly!