Largest Martian Meteorite Ever Found to Be Auctioned in New York

In an extraordinary event for space enthusiasts and collectors alike, Sotheby's is set to auction the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth, known as NWA 16788. The auction will take place in New York on Wednesday, with the meteorite expected to fetch between $2 million and $4 million. Weighing in at 54 pounds (25 kilograms) and measuring nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches (375 mm by 279 mm by 152 mm), this remarkable specimen is approximately 70% larger than the next largest known Martian meteorite.

According to Cassandra Hatton, Vice Chairman for Science and Natural History at Sotheby's, this meteorite represents nearly 7% of all Martian material currently on Earth. "This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot. So it’s more than double the size of what we previously thought was the largest piece of Mars," Hatton stated in an interview.

The meteorite is believed to have originated from Mars, blasted into space by a massive asteroid impact, and subsequently traveled approximately 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) to Earth, landing in the Sahara Desert. Hatton noted that it was discovered by a meteorite hunter in Niger in November 2023. The auction house has confirmed that a small piece of the meteorite was sent to a specialized laboratory for analysis, which verified its Martian origin by comparing its chemical composition to that of Martian meteorites discovered by NASA's Viking space probes in 1976.

This unique specimen is classified as an olivine-microgabbroic shergottite, a type of Martian rock formed from the slow cooling of Martian magma. It exhibits a coarse-grained texture and contains minerals such as pyroxene and olivine. The meteorite's glassy surface likely resulted from the intense heat it experienced during its entry into Earth's atmosphere.

Sotheby's has indicated that the meteorite was previously on display at the Italian Space Agency in Rome. While the exact date of its impact on Earth remains undetermined, testing suggests that it fell in recent years.

In addition to the Martian meteorite, the auction will feature a juvenile Ceratosaurus skeleton, which is estimated to be between 150 million years old and could sell for between $4 million and $6 million. This skeleton, reconstructed from nearly 140 fossil bones, was discovered in Bone Cabin Quarry near Laramie, Wyoming, in 1996.

The upcoming auction is part of Sotheby's Geek Week 2025, showcasing a total of 122 items, including other meteorites, fossils, and gem-quality minerals. The auction's significance not only lies in the unique offerings but also in the growing interest in extraterrestrial materials among collectors and scientists. As the auction approaches, many are eager to witness the intersection of space exploration and private collecting, highlighting the enduring fascination with the cosmos and its remnants found on Earth.