AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL NUGGET — A SERICHO METEORITE
These lots have been imported from outside the EU … Read more
AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL NUGGET — A SERICHO METEORITE

Pallasite — PMGHabaswein / Sericho, Kenya

Details
AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL NUGGET — A SERICHO METEORITE
Pallasite — PMG
Habaswein / Sericho, Kenya
This cleaned, pocket-sized meteorite exhibits caramel aggregates of olivine naturally suspended in its iron-nickel matrix — in effect, natural extraterrestrial steel studded with gems from space.
2¼ x 2¼ x ¾in. (57 x 57 x 21mm.)
144.5g.
Special Notice
These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

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James Hyslop
James Hyslop

Lot Essay

The Sericho pallasite formed at the mantle-core boundary of an asteroid about 4.5 billion years ago. Deep inside the asteroid, molten metal from the outer core mixed with chunks of the olivine mantle that had crystallized. Things remained quiet for Sericho until a major collision shattered the asteroid; this event and subsequent, less energetic collisions set Sericho pallasite material on a collision course with Earth — and more specifically, 200 miles northeast of what is now Nairobi, Kenya. The strewn field was discovered by camel herders, and the stony-iron rocks were first identified as meteorites in 2016; it is currently unclear when this meteorite shower occurred, but it is at least decades old.

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