appstore google play

Collecting Mars Here on Earth

Meteorite nwa 12269 martian 1 9c2f69d6bf3b1cbffe42528de8c19599
This slice of a Martian meteor weighs 1.34 grams and has the fine grain texture of the minerals and organic matter found on Mars. It recently sold for $59.

Mars is an average of 140 million miles from Earth and can take 6 to 8 months to get there. Except Mars is already here. 

As of this writing, NASA just placed a rolling scientific rover named Perseverance onto the surface of Mars. It will take real-time images, look for water under the surface, pack up some rocks for transport later, and generally wander the surface for the next ten years or so. China and the United Arab Emirates have similar scientific ventures already in orbit around Mars, with China expected to land its own rover on the surface later in 2021.

Any scientific discoveries into the origin of the Red Planet and its possible ability to sustain life could bode well for possible human habitation sometime in the near future. With the Earth expected to have a population of near 10 billion by 2050 or so, sustainability may become more of an issue such that Mars could be a long-term solution. At least, that’s the idea.

Except, as it turns out, Mars has already visited Earth many times over thousands of years. No, not little green men (why green anyway when the planet is red?), but extraterrestrial bits and pieces that somehow managed to finally make it through our atmosphere after millions of years traveling through space. We’re talking about meteorites.

Atlas mars 2020 patch perserverance 1 bf182aa123927200e1db72fc9f0e3b1c
To commemorate the successful landing on Mars of the rover Perseverance and the helicopter Ingenuity, this challenge coin was issued in 2020 and sold recently for $12.20.

How Many Meteorites Are There?

According to cosmos.com, about 17 meteorites fall to Earth on average every day. There haven’t been any fatalities as most are rather small and fall into more remote areas or in the ocean. On occasion, though, there is a much larger event such as the one in February 2013 where a 20 meter (65 feet) meteorite broke up in the atmosphere, making quite the spectacle in Chelyabinsk, Russia (video), causing some destruction and injuries. The meteorite was determined to be from a long orbiting asteroid and not planetary.

Of the meteorites found on Earth, only 277 have been classified as being Martian, not even a half of a percent of all the 72,000 meteorites classified so far, according to the Meteoritical Society that keeps track of such things. Martian meteorites, therefore, are quite rare.

Ok, so you may ask, how do we know if a meteorite is from Mars? By its unique mineral composition, of course, say scientists. 

What Makes a Meteorite Martian?

So far, we have been talking about meteorites from Mars, large pieces that were broken off from the surface of Mars due to a collision millions of years ago. These pieces have been traveling through space ever since until they ultimately broke up in our atmosphere. Up to now, there have been probes on the surface that have relayed information about the Martian atmosphere and the contents of its rocks back to NASA, but no actual rocks have been brought back – yet. So pieces of meteorites have been examined, compared to the known composition of Mars from earlier planetary probes, and confidently classified as being of Martian origin.

With that information, the short answer to the question “What makes a meteorite Martian?” is that there are generally three types the meteorites most fall into: Shergotty (India), Nakhla (Egypt), and Chassigny (France), meteorites named for where the first ones were found, otherwise known as the SNC group. The Mars atmosphere is unique enough that the relevant isotopes of gases, minerals, and general composition within the SNC groups of meteorites positively identify them as Martian.

Mars nakhlite meteorite crust 1 fdbec4109753fe993f48797875f3d0fe
One of the SNC group of meteors, this 2.3 gram sized nakhlite Martian meteor piece actually features the outside crust, the part that was burned during reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. This meteorite sold for $2,300 in 2016.

And just to be clear, unlike moon rocks, which NASA legally owns (except for those from Russia), once meteorites fall to Earth, they become the property of where they are found and can be legally bought and sold on the open market.

Collecting Meteorites

So, what does it mean to collect Martian meteorites? According to geology.com, there are several different collecting categories, each of which can affect their overall value.

First, there is “fall vs. find,” meaning that if a meteorite is actually witnessed landing on Earth, it is classified as a “fall” and has a higher overall value than one that is just picked up on the ground called a “find.”

Shergotty martian meteorite extremely 1 3d103341ba6e9330a2565693df013f70
This tiny Martian meteorite is classified as a “fall” and sold for $149.99 in January 2021.

If a meteorite makes the news because of the unusual way or place that it lands (one fell on a mailbox in Georgia in 1984, for example), it’s considered a historic meteorite and has a higher value still.

If a meteorite piece has a catalog number, it is considered a Nininger Meteorite, named for Harvey H. Nininger, who collected and created a museum for his meteorite collection in Arizona in 1946, one of the very first meteorite collectors.

If the meteorite has some unusual features such as a hole, indentations called “fingerprints,” or is just aesthetically pleasing, almost like a work of abstract art, then the value to collectors at auction is rather high.

But collectors of meteorites, as in any collectible category, tend to specialize within a specific interest. For example, some collectors will only be interested in those found where they live; others will want meteorites that are aesthetically pleasing in some way; still, others will like slices as opposed to those in strictly rock forms. Even further, many collectors will collect only irons (made mostly of iron and nickel), stones (the complete rock of chondrite itself), or stony-irons (equal parts of both, but rarer).

2017 20 cook islands mars red planet 1 37e41a0a300ef3f0e01f1da4f98c8bfd
This Cook Islands three-ounce $20 silver coin has a small piece of Mars inserted in the middle. It sold for $267.02 in 2019.

Value of Meteorites

What can you expect to pay for meteorites? Of course, it depends on what category it falls under, but generally, meteorites are bought by the gram and measured by the centimeter and millimeter.

Common iron meteorites, or “fall” ones, can be valued at only about 50 cents a gram, while stone or “find” ones can be valued from $2 to $5 a gram. For the most unusual aesthetic or stony-irons, prices can easily be up to $1,000 a gram. Meteorites, especially Martian ones, are rarer than gold or diamonds but not subject to severe fluctuations in value over time.

More Information

There is quite a lot to learn about the origins, composition, history, and types of meteorites, especially those from Mars, our possible second home. To learn more about the intricate study and collecting of meteorites, whether Martian or planetary, drop-in quietly unannounced to The International Meteorite Collectors Association for a list of members, reliable dealers, and updates on all things meteors.

Once you collect meteors, the history of the universe will be in your hands. Imagine the stories of interplanetary experiences it could tell if it could. 


Tom Carrier is a General Worthologist with a specialty in Americana, political memorabilia, and he has been the resident WorthPoint vexillologist (flags, seals, and heraldry) since 2007. Tom is also a frequent contributor of articles to WorthPoint.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth®

Stay up to date - Subscribe to Newsletter!

Keeping you informed, connected, and involved in the antiques and collectibles industry