October 14 saw the largest piece of Moon rock to ever appear at auction sell as top lot in New York.
 The meteorite is mainly comprised of mineral fragments |
The four pound chunk was formed on the dark side of the Moon, before being blasted towards Earth after an asteroid sent it flying off into space. Selling for $330,00, it is the fourth largest piece of moon rock currently in private ownership.
The only bigger pieces known are those recovered by the Apollo mission astronauts, and these are likely to never appear at auction. Editor of Collect Space, Robert Pearlman, commented: "While the Moon rocks recovered by the Apollo astronauts are considered national treasures and have never been awarded to individuals, hypothetical appraisals have suggested even a one-gram sample could be worth millions."
The rock, which has been split into two halves to maximise the display of surface area, was given the catchy title of Dar al Gani (DaG) 1058. The chunk was described by Heritage Auctions as "worthy of the most important natural history museums in the world" and has been paired to DaG 400, the first lunar meteorite recognised to have fallen in Africa.
 The Gibeon meteorite is named after the town nearest to where it fell |
Also featuring in the sale was a stunning "natural sculpture" from the Gibeon meteorite. The Gibeon meteorite was first discovered in 1838 in Namibia and is believed to have fallen in prehistoric times. A few pieces of the distinctive rock were sold in the auction, with the mounted example selling for $46,875. The piece achieved a 46.4% increase on its $32,000 high estimate.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a number of fantastic space collectibles currently available, including the signed suit that Buzz Aldrin wore in training for the Apollo 11 mission.
