Sale of Mars rock out of this world

Mars rock sells for $5.3 million - 1st September 2025

Experts in Niger are investigating the sale of a Martian meteorite found in their country. The rock, known as NWA 16788, was auctioned in New York for a shocking $5.3 million.

Meteorites are what's left of an object from space as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere. While the majority of those previously located have been small fragments, NWA 16788 is a massive 24.5 kg. Sotheby's, the auction house which finally sold it, claims it's the largest ever found.

Although meteorites can hit the ground anywhere, the key area for discovery is the Sahara desert. There, the climate's good for preservation and human activity is limited.

NWA 16788 was spotted in Niger's Agadez region of the Sahara by a meteorite hunter. According to an Italian academic article, it was then purchased by the owner of a well-known Italian gallery.

Nigerien authorities say that this was where issues first arose. Professor Sereno, the founder of Niger Heritage, was interviewed by the BBC. He stated, "International law says you cannot simply take something that is important to the heritage of the country - be it a cultural item, a physical item, a natural item or an extra-terrestrial item."

After briefly being exhibited in Italy, it was shipped to Sotheby's in New York, minus two fragments kept for scientific analysis. The auction house is insisting that "all relevant documentation was in order at each stage of its journey", but details of the seller and buyer remain hidden. Despite having passed its own law in 1997 to protect its heritage, Niger has no specific meteorite laws. Even so, the government's stated that they have doubts over whether the process was legal.

An article in the Heritage journal describes how most meteorites are owned by investors or collectors. It explains the tension between the private market and the need for both researchers and the public to be given access.