Rock Being Used As Doorstop Turns Out To Be Meteorite Worth A Fortune
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 IST
The meteorite is worth around Rs. 74 lakhs!
A man in Michigan will soon be richer by thousands of dollars - thanks to a meteorite he had been using as a doorstop for 30 years. The man, who has asked to remain anonymous, says that he knew the 10 kg rock came from outer space ever since he bought his house in 1988. The meteorite came with the house. UPI reports that the previous owner of the property told him that the meteorite had arrived on the farm during a meteor shower in the 1930s.
However, neither of them figured out that it would be worth a fortune- and so the meteorite lay around, sometimes being used as a doorstop.
It was only earlier this year that the man heard about people selling small pieces of meteorites and decided to take his to Mona Sirbescu, a geology faculty member in earth and atmospheric sciences at Central Michigan University.
"I could tell right away that this was something special," she said in a statement released by the Central Michigan University. "It's the most valuable specimen I have ever held in my life, monetarily and scientifically."
Ms Sirbescu determined the specimen to be potentially worth $ 100,000 - that's approximately Rs. 74 lakhs!
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The meteorite has not been sold yet. BBC reports that the renowned Smithsonian Institution is interested in acquiring it. Meanwhile, the Central Michigan University is using it as teaching material.
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