Roy Meteorite Slice. Chondrite, L5. New Mexico, USA - (35° 57'N, 104° 12'W). Found: 1933. ...

Description

Roy Meteorite Slice
Chondrite, L5
New Mexico, USA - (35° 57'N, 104° 12'W)
Found: 1933

Legendary H.H. Nininger's work in the field, which he called the Nininger Survey, led directly to the discovery of the Roy Meteorite. However, it had been found a year earlier by a Mexican farmer who, unfortunately, broke up a large mass into fragments looking for precious metals, given that the rock seemed remarkably heavy. Nininger arrived on the scene too late to save the whole stone but was instrumental in protecting all the remaining fragments that would have been lost to science without him. This rare partial slice of Roy from New Mexico comes with a worn vintage Ward's Natural Scientific Establishment, Inc. label, INCORRECTLY identifying it as an "iron" meteorite rather than as the stone it is. This slab was likely purchased from the legendary Harvey Nininger, for resale, given the handwritten number in pencil on the top right of the specimen card "234.77," as 234 was Nininger's catalog number for Roy. An ironic fact about this offering is the use of the archaic term "aerolite" on the paper label, as that word for "stony meteorite" inspired Geoff Notkin to name his commercial business Aerolite Meteorites.
Measurements: 2.30 x 1.85 x 0.25 inches (5.83 x 4.70 x 0.64 cm), weighs 33.4 grams

Provenance: Ex. H.H. Nininger Collection #234.77, The Geoff Notkin Collection

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