The samples were recovered, and NASA estimated their value during the ensuing court case at about $1 million for 10 oz (280 g) of material. Naturally transported Moon rocks in the form of lunar meteorites are sold and traded among private collectors.
How much is a moon rock worth?
Is it illegal to own a moon rock?
Although NASA's lunar missions returned more than 842 pounds of moon rock to Earth, it is illegal for private citizens to own any of it (lunar meteorites, however, are perfectly legal). Instead, lunar samples were used as goodwill gifts to 135 countries and each of the 50 states.
Why is moon rock so expensive?
Moon rocks are so expensive because that's the result of human choice and desire created. These cosmic materials are not made of gold, diamonds, and only some samples contain rare minerals. Moon rocks are alluring and desirable because they do not come from Earth.
Who buys moon rocks?
NASA NASA may be the only organization that's currently in the market for buying moon rocks from private companies, but the space agency allowed the companies to name their price. Lunar Outpost pledged to sell their sample for just $1, by far the smallest bid. Both iSpace companies plan to sell their samples for $5,000.
How much would a piece of the moon be worth?
Christie's is selling a piece of the moon for $2.5 million. The over 30-pound lunar rock is one of the largest meteorites that exists today. Moonrock is one of the rarest substances on earth.
Can you sell moon rocks?
Apollo Moon Rocks are NASA and US government property which cannot be sold or exchanged to private citizens.
What is a lunar meteorite worth?
A prime specimen will easily fetch $50/gram while rare examples of lunar and Martian meteorites may sell for $1,000/gram or more — almost forty times the current price of gold!
Can you sell a moon rock?
The authenticity of the material is usually verified by comparing its composition to lunar samples collected from the U.S. or Soviet moon missions. These meteorites are perfectly legal to collect and sell on the open market and often command extremely high prices at auction.
How much does moon dust cost?
The US space agency NASA awarded contracts to four companies on Thursday to collect lunar samples for $1 to $15,000, rock-bottom prices that are intended to set a precedent for future exploitation of space resources by the private sector.