Meteorite collecting part 2.
Forming a collection

Collecting meteorites can be an exciting hobby or a serious scientific endeavor. I always say that there are as many ways to collect meteorites as there are collectors. Each person approaches it uniquely, based on their interests and budget. There is no single “correct” way to collect meteorites—every method is legitimate, and diversity in collecting styles only enriches the experience. The main factors shaping a meteorite collection are:

Budget

It is more likely that you win the lottery than find a meteorite lying on the street. That rather absurd comparison just means that in order to get meteorites, you will almost certainly need to buy them, which implies setting a budget. This budget can be high or low, but there must be one. Some collections, held by museums, universities, and private collectors, are worth millions of dollars. Meanwhile, well-curated private collections can be assembled for under a thousand dollars, offering a solid representation of meteorites despite their smaller sizes and less rare types.

If your budget is limited, a good approach can be buying one meteorite per month. Many collectors allocate a set amount—say, $200 monthly—to gradually build their collections. This method allows flexibility; if you spot a $400 piece, you can save one month and buy it the next. Some people spend thousands of dollars each month to buy new meteorites and update their amazing collections. Of course, higher budgets allow for better specimens, but having a strategy and smart purchasing are just as important.

Aesthetics

Closely related to budget, aesthetics plays a crucial role for some collectors, to the point that some collectors buying only meteorites that are purely aesthetic. They don’t mind if the same meteorite is repeated 3 times in their collection or if they don’t have a very basic meteorite. This approach is similar to collecting art. It is popular with some high-end collectors and a decent percentage of Asian collectors. This point is also addressed in article 3 as a factor influencing a meteorite’s value.

Some meteorites have very suggestive shapes

Types

If I were asked what makes a bunch of meteorites a collection, I would say that they more or less represent all types. This is arguable as there are many other points in this article but I just feel this point is essential. Having a comprehensive collection that includes the most important types of meteorites is like having a walk around the Solar System and knowing what’s going on there.

Each meteorite has its own story and this enhances appreciation for the diversity of our Solar System. Meteorites from the Moon, Mars, asteroids, those that tell us how the rocky planets formed, or about volcanoes in extinct planets, or that give clues on the genesis of life on Earth… The list keeps going and is fascinating.

Each one of those examples effectively corresponds to a different type of meteorite. Both private and museum collections typically aim to include these key types. Of course, more types represented means more meteorites, which leads us to the next point.

Number of Meteorites

Some collectors aim for quantity, striving to own as many different meteorites as possible. I have seen private collections with over 5000 different meteorites sorted out alphabetically. Of course, they were small. Others focus on quality, preferring a few spectacular specimens over a vast collection of smaller ones. In this case, there is a person whose entire collection consists of just 5-6 pieces, most of them weighing over 100 kilograms. Consider for example, these three collection strategies, all within the same $30,000 budget:

• 1 single, spectacular meteorite worth $30,000.
• 30 fine specimens worth $1,000 each.
• 300 different meteorites worth $100 each.

Each approach is different. Collections don’t have to be homogeneous. Some collectors mix strategies, maintaining their core collection in one level while acquiring a few high-end specimens for a “wow” effect. The second approach is personally my favorite, especially if it can be completed with a few higher-end pieces. But all other approaches are just as fine.

Storage and display space also play a role in determining collection size. There is an example of a collector that doesn’t want his collection to grow larger than the shoe box where he keeps it. And in Japan people tend to collect smaller but more expensive items because they have a good budget but not so much space at home. Ultimately, the number of meteorites depends on your preferences and storage/display space can play a role in determining a collection’s size.

Shapes

When collecting meteorites, you realize they are offered in different shapes, each one with a name. This is more extensively addressed in the article about meteorite presentation shapes. But just a few notes so you know quickly the different shapes meteorites can come in:

• Slice: two cut faces, one in each side.
• Endcut or endpiece: one cut face, the rest is natural.
• Individual: untouched.

Lunar meteorites in different weights and shapes

I have seen people preferring some types but not categorically excluding others. Collectors usually have all shapes in their collection as each one of them can have a different role. For example, pallasites tend to be more interesting when in slices but a nicely shaped Sikhote Alin iron is good when untouched. These shapes can somehow be related to their price too and maybe a collector cannot afford an individual of a new meteorite fall but can afford a slice.

Country of Origin 

Collectors often seek meteorites from their home country. Or from the country where they spent those nice holidays and brings in so many nice memories. As part of the story-telling of meteorites, we always get more excited if they are coming from a country we like or value. Also, if they are coming from exotic locations. It is very cool to say that you have a meteorite from each continent for example, or from a country you always wanted to visit but never did.

One of the things repeatedly seen in lists of collections of meteorites is the place where they come from, as it is part of the story of the meteorite. Morocco for example, is a source of many meteorites. But if there is a new fall in a small country with zero meteorites in its history, the first one for them would be more valuable than the thousandth meteorite from Morocco. Scientifically they have the same value because nature doesn’t understand about countries. But humans give it a different value.

Approximate meteorite distribution by country, taken from reddit

There are some collectors that take this point very seriously, focusing on their country partly or even totally. This is relatively easy to do if you live in a big country like Australia or the US, with a big desert and many meteorites. But it is impossible for example in Iceland, a small country with 0 meteorites so far.

Documentation & Provenance

Meteorites are just rocks. Or rocks that tell amazing stories of the outer space that we as humans want to explore. The narrative can be different depending on the approach and the amount of information we have.

For example, a Chelyabinsk meteorite, associated with dramatic footage of its fall in 2013, holds more appeal than a visually identical meteorite but from the Sahara Desert and that nobody knows even the country where it came from. Collectors usually prefer to have the one with more information because it makes a better story. Now let’s imagine a case within the same meteorite: you have to choose between a Chelyabinsk or a Chelyabinsk that has in-situ photos where you can see how the meteorite landed, who picked it up, the date, coordinates, etc. Again, the one with more information wins.

Writting down coordinates and taking in situ picture of a new meteorite before it was touched

Provenance of the meteorites is also a key factor. It is better if a piece comes from a museum or a highly reputable seller than if it comes from a random guy on eBay. Having a piece backed-up by a big name always is better, especially with a certificate.

Some museums don’t make certificates but when they trade meteorites with dealers, they give them the labels associated to the piece. And of course, it is unique to have a meteorite with an original label from a museum. So much so, that a handful of collectors specialize in meteorites with museum labels as they believe it is what makes a meteorite tell the full story.

Your own Finds

Some collectors prefer to own mostly what they have found. This is something addressed specifically in Part 1. But here, it is worth mentioning that even if it is extremely difficult to find a meteorite, always having your own find in your collection is such a great feeling. Even if it is a mediocre chondrite from a desert. You found it, it is yours, and it will always be the best meteorite in the world. For you at least.

Most meteorite collections don’t include this category, but I hope it serves as an inspiration for those who have the time and financial means to go on a meteorite hunting trip. In the worst case, you won’t find anything but will learn a valuable lesson: finding a meteorite is a difficult endeavor and their high prices are more than justified.

Utility

What are you going to do with the collection? Enjoy it yourself? Show it to children? Keep it as an investment? The purpose of the collection can also shape your way of collecting. Here, three major purposes for collecting are pointed out.

– Educational. As said previously, some people prefer to have meteorites that represent the different classifications. This is especially important if you like astronomy, if you have a scientific mindset or if you want your collection to be shown to the public: for example, to your kids or to your neighbors. There are some collectors who collaborate with local schools, universities or astronomical associations, giving educational speeches and sharing their pieces with the community.

– Display. Although aesthetics was already mentioned before, this is a slightly different approach. We are talking about people who want to have display pieces in their house. It can be either in a vitrine, in a frame hung on the wall or just sitting on the floor. This type of collectors usually focuses more on the aesthetics of the meteorites and want to enjoy them every time they look at certain spots of their house. It is well-known that interior designers use sometimes meteorites to give their creations a touch of uniqueness. And they require less maintenance than flowers.

– Investment. There are also collectors that invest in meteorites as they invest in other assets. Their main purpose is to see how the value of their collection rises with time. Meteorites have been proven to be a safe investment with almost all types considerably going up in price for the last decades. There are many examples of meteorites that in 10 years they increased their value by 5 times. That’s a good return of investment, not only eliminating the inflation but also making profit. Another perk is that the investment is a bit out of the system. You just spend some money in rocks that you keep somewhere safe. And maybe in a show you can even pay cash to get rid of it if you have too much. The inventiveness of investors is limitless.

Usually, a specific collector is not encased in one of these 3 approaches alone, ignoring the others. A collector focused on the educational purposes may want to have some of those pieces displayed at their house too. Or a person who does it as an investment, has to be somewhat attracted to meteorites. It is like a palette with the 3 primary colors, and you decide which mixture of colors you want to be.

Collections evolve

Don’t forget that the beauty is in the journey. No collection is ever complete. There will always be something missing: meteorites locked in other collections, the piece that your colleague found in your meteorite hunting trip that you didn’t find or that recent meteorite fall that is selling for an inflated price. No worries. You can still enjoy what you have and how the process unfolds. Usually, collections don’t end up being what they were at the beginning, they evolve. We tend to focus on one or some of the points mentioned above and our budgets and interest change. That’s why some pieces can be considered “core” of a collection for some time, but later they are sold or traded for something different.

This a photo I proudly took in 2017 with the core of my collection. It was the year I really got hooked with meteorites. It included for example an unclassified chondrite of 54 grams. After 3 years, I had set up this collection in Parque de las Ciencias, a Spanish museum visited by half a million people annually.

This is not to brag, but to illustrate how collections change over time. What seems essential one year may become expendable the next. As you collect, you can make mistakes, celebrate successes, and refine your approach. That’s what makes the journey so rewarding.