ALLENDE METEORITE — LARGE COMPLETE SLICE CONTAINING THE OLDEST MATTER KNOWN TO EXIST
Carbonaceous-CV3
Chihuahua, Mexico

This is one of the largest slices of the most studied meteorite in the world. Allende meteorite specimens contain the oldest matter known to exist—the oldest thing mankind can touch. Rare by virtue of its carbonaceous chondrite classification, this meteorite contains particles that scientists believe were created during the explosion of a super nova that occurred prior to the formation of our solar system. Samples of the first material to have condensed out of the cooling nebular gasses—which was responsible for the genesis of the planets—is contained in this specimen. Specifically, the white calcium-aluminum inclusions (CAIs) seen here are aggregates of "stardust"—and Allende is one of the only meteorites to contain such stardust.

On February 8, 1969 thousands of mostly small Allende meteorites pelted an area outside of Chihuahua, Mexico. The now common expression of meteorites being a poor man’s space probe was born when scientists throughout the world quickly realized that Allende meteorites were every bit as important as the first Moon rocks recovered by Apollo astronauts later that same year.

The meteorite from which this specimen is derived weighted 17 kilograms and was among the largest Allende specimens on-record. It was purchased in El Paso from the finder’s children by Robert Haag—the world’s most renowned contemporary meteorite hunter—and remained in Mr. Haag’s collection for nearly twenty years. The large mass was cut for the first time only months ago.

This is one of the finest, as well as one of the two largest, complete slices to exist. Scientists are today studying images of this specimen as it contains a veritable treasure trove of common and unusual features: an inclusion seen in the lower center is pink; an inclusion at the bottom margin off to the left is unusually swirled; a large chondrule is seen perched at the lower right margin; three inches above is another chondrule which contains carbonaceous matrix. There are also thousands of CAIs as well as rare “dark inclusions,” an area of expertise of the late renowned scientist Martin Prinz of the American Museum of Natural History. One dark inclusion seen in the upper left is far larger on the reverse—fully 15mm in diameter.

Worthy of any major museum collection in the world, this is a matchless representation of some of the oldest matter known. This specimen is mounted between custom Lucite plates screwed together from which it can be easily removed. A bibliography of 50 scientific papers covering various aspects of Allende meteorites also accompanies this lot. 246 x 185 x 4mm (9.75 x 7.25 x 0.2 inches) and 518 grams (1.1 pounds).

Estimate: $8,000 - 10,000