Mars Meteorite Found in the Sahara Desert Fetches Millions of Dollars at Auction

Discovered in the Sahara Desert and being the largest Martian meteorite on Earth, NWA 16788 broke a record by selling for $5.3 million including taxes at a Sotheby's auction in New York. Immediately following this high-value sale, the government of Niger launched an investigation.

The Rock Discovered in the Sahara Desert

The 24.67-kilogram rock fragment, found by a meteorite hunter on July 16, 2023, in the Kefkaf desert area of Niger's Agadez region, was officially registered as being of Martian origin following detailed scientific analyses.

How the Martian Origin Was Confirmed

Mineral and gas analyses of the rock, which features a reddish fusion crust, proved that it came from Mars. It was stated that the gases it contains match the measurements made by NASA's Viking spacecraft in the Martian atmosphere in the 1970s exactly.

Evaluated scientifically as an olivine-microgabbroic shergottite, the meteorite was determined to have been hurled into space as a result of a major impact on Mars and to have traveled approximately 140 million miles before reaching Earth.

Auction and Record Sale

After being exhibited at the Italian Space Agency, the meteorite put up for auction at Sotheby's in New York reached a hammer price of $4.3 million. Including commissions and taxes, the total sale price reached $5.3 million, approximately 259 million Turkish liras.

As a result of this high-value sale, NWA 16788 went down in official records as the most expensive meteorite ever sold through auction.

The Government of Niger's Investigation

Following the record-breaking sale, Niger authorities launched a comprehensive investigation to shed light on how the valuable meteorite was taken out of the country. While the buyer's identity is kept confidential, it was reported that the inquiries focus on the discovery of the stone and the export process.