Martin, you are a bottomless font of information!

I especially agree with your statement here :

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This is just the nature of the sport. If someone needs absolutes, then I can suggest some other man-made hobbies. To me, I actually relish this kind of stuff because it puts the collector right in the middle of the gory details of meteorite science. And for those who feel this is a trial by fire, savor it and learn from it. It will make you a more educated collector bringing new depth to the mystery of these stones and their impact on science and culture.

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This is what makes collecting and studying meteorites exciting for the layman. Any collector can potentially make an impact on the science of meteoritics. Clearing up erroneous classifications is just one example. Many lay collectors are avid, enthusiastic, and well-read. And collectively, they act as a jury, of sorts, for the science of meteoritics. Because this material is all over the market, in the hands of collectors with polarizing microscopes and loupes, it's not unlike a never-ending classification study. There is always the chance that a particular specimen (like NWA 2828) might have a confusing lithology or the classification sample was not representative of the overall lithology of the fall/find. Martin's black Norton piece is a good example. Imagine if the only piece of Norton to be classified was one of these rare black pieces, then those holding the more common white lithology might be left wondering if their specimen is really Norton or not.

Those eager collectors who study their specimens and do their homework on the field, are like the spellcheckers and proof-readers of the meteorite world. By pointing out errors, correcting errors, submitting new data, and publishing new classifications, the amateur can actually participate in the science of meteoritics. It's very exciting.

Regards and clear skies,

MikeG

PS - Maria is right, I wouldn't worry about your auctions being mislabelled Todd. It's not your fault, and the official classification is wrong. In fact, you have helped "jury" the classification by objecting to it and changing your personal description of the pieces to the correct classification. In this manner, you are helping to educate other collectors who are not aware of this change yet.

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