On July 16, a Martian meteorite fetched nearly US$5.3 million at a geology and archaeology auction in New York, setting a record as the most expensive meteorite ever sold at auction.
Identified as the largest Martian meteorite discovered on Earth, the rock was initially estimated to sell for US$2 million to US$4 million. Sotheby's confirmed the final hammer price at US$4.3 million, with a total sale price of US$5.296 million after fees and costs. The buyer's identity remains undisclosed.
The meteorite, designated as "NWA 16788," measures 375 mm in length, 279 mm in width, and 152 mm in height, weighing a massive 25 kilograms—approximately 70% larger than the second-largest Martian meteorite ever found on Earth.
According to experts, the meteorite likely originated from a collision on Mars caused by an asteroid impact, propelling a fragment into space. After traveling 225 million kilometers, it eventually landed in the Sahara Desert. The meteorite was discovered in Niger in November 2023 and was previously exhibited in Rome, Italy.
Its glass-like surface texture is believed to be the result of high temperatures as it passed through Earth's atmosphere. While the exact date of its arrival on Earth remains unclear, tests suggest it fell within recent years.
Sotheby's noted that Martian meteorites are exceedingly rare. Out of more than 77,000 verified meteorites worldwide, only about 400 are confirmed to have come from Mars.
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