Remarkable Martian Meteorite Breaks Auction Records with $4.3M Sale

Sotheby's auctioned off the largest piece of Martian rock discovered on Earth, an astonishing 54lb meteorite known as NWA 16788, for $4.3 million. Found in Niger, this unique specimen highlights the rarity of Martian meteorites, of which only around 400 have been identified globally.

An "unbelievably rare" rock from Mars, weighing 54lb (24.5kg) and measuring nearly 15 inches (38.1cm) in length, has been sold for an astonishing $4.3 million (£3.2 million) at a New York auction held recently. Known as NWA 16788, this meteorite was unearthed in a remote area of Niger in November 2023 and stands out as the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth. According to the auction house Sotheby's, it surpasses the second biggest Martian meteorite by 70%.

Described as a reddish brown specimen, this rock is celebrated for its rarity, as only about 400 Martian meteorites have been discovered on our planet. Cassandra Hatton, vice-chairman of science and natural history at Sotheby's, expressed the great significance of the sale through an online video, emphasizing the extraordinary odds of the rock traveling from Mars to Earth. "Remember that approximately 70% of Earth's surface is covered in water. We’re incredibly lucky that this landed on dry land instead of the middle of the ocean where we could actually find it," she noted.

While the final destination of the meteorite remains undisclosed, Sotheby's mentioned that additional taxes and fees raised the total cost to approximately $5.3 million. The auction on Wednesday featured over 100 items, including a Ceratosaurus skeleton which sold for $26 million, and the skull of a Pachycephalosaurus that fetched $1.4 million. The record-breaking sale of this Martian artifact reflects humanity's enduring fascination with space exploration and the mysteries of our celestial neighbors.