Newspaper headlines blared “New York City Marathon Results in Rare Meteorite Recovery.” Indeed, on November 10, 1997, the American Museum of Natural History confirmed an unusual rock which an Argentine marathoner brought to New York prior to competing in the New York City Marathon was a cumulate eucrite —and a stunningly beautiful example. The marathoner, Carlos Oddi, acquired the meteorite from a mountain climber, who while climbing in Patagonia reported having been nearly knocked off a cliff by the pressure wave created by the meteorite blasting through the atmosphere. While the climber recovered the meteorite, he was sufficiently rattled that he took an extended vow of silence. I almost did the same when the marathoner came to my office. I did not know Carlos — a wonderful man and mineral dealer of renown — when he visited my office and showed me his rock. I thought this was a prank and ran to the door convinced someone was hiding and about to burst in. But what burst into my life was a lovely man and future dear friend — and an extraordinarily beautiful meteorite. With a TKW of only 1421 grams whose main mass is on display at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, this is a rare offering of a partial slice of Talampaya with two long edges of “burnt sugar” fusion crust.

41 x 49 x 2mm (1.66 x 2 x 0.1 in.) and 12.18 grams (61 carats)

Provenance: Macovich Collection of Meteorites, NYC

Estimate: $1,500 – 2,000 * Reserve: $1,000