A colossal fragment of Mars—the largest ever found on Earth—fetched $4.3 million (£3.2 million)** at a Sotheby’s auction in New York on Wednesday.
Officially named NWA 16788, the Martian meteorite weighs 54 pounds (24.5 kg) and measures nearly 15 inches (38.1 cm) in length. It was discovered in a remote region of Niger in November 2023, and is believed to be 70% larger than any previously recovered Martian specimen, according to Sotheby’s.
Meteorites like NWA 16788 are fragments of rock that survive the fiery journey through Earth’s atmosphere after being ejected from celestial bodies—often due to asteroid impacts. Martian meteorites are especially rare, with fewer than 400 ever documented on Earth.
Sotheby’s described the reddish-brown rock as “unbelievably rare.” “This is the largest known piece of Mars on Earth,” said Cassandra Hatton, Vice Chairman of Science and Natural History at Sotheby’s. “The odds of it traveling from Mars and landing where we could actually recover it are astronomically small—especially when you consider that about 70% of Earth is covered in water.”
The identity of the buyer has not been disclosed, and details about where the meteorite will ultimately reside remain private. Including taxes and fees, the final sale price totaled around $5.3 million, Sotheby’s reported.
The meteorite was part of an expansive natural history auction featuring over 100 items. Other major sales included a Ceratosaurus skeleton from the Late Jurassic period, which sold for $26 million, and a Pachycephalosaurus skull, which went for $1.4 million.
