The largest piece of Mars ever discovered on Earth was auctioned for over $5 million during a prestigious event in New York, which featured rare geological and archaeological objects. This remarkable sale took place on Wednesday, alongside the auction of a juvenile dinosaur skeleton that fetched an astonishing price of more than $30 million.
Weighing in at 54 pounds (25 kilograms), the meteorite, known as NWA 16788, was unearthed in November 2023 in the Sahara Desert, Niger, by a dedicated meteorite hunter. This extraordinary rock was believed to have been ejected from the Martian surface due to a massive asteroid impact, traveling an incredible distance of approximately 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) before landing on Earth. According to Sotheby’s, the estimated sale price prior to the auction ranged from $2 million to $4 million.
Although the identity of the buyer remains undisclosed, the final bid reached $4.3 million. After accounting for various fees and costs, the total sale price amounted to about $5.3 million. The auction saw two advance bids of $1.9 million and $2 million before the live bidding commenced. Interestingly, the pace of the live bidding was slower than for other items, prompting the auctioneer to lower bid increments from $200,000 to $100,000 once offers surpassed the $4 million mark.
This Martian meteorite exhibits a stunning red, brown, and gray coloration and is approximately 70% larger than the next largest piece of Martian material found on our planet. It represents nearly 7% of all the Martian material currently residing on Earth, as stated by Sotheby’s. The dimensions of this celestial specimen measure nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches (375 millimeters by 279 millimeters by 152 millimeters).
Such a find is exceptionally rare; there are only about 400 known Martian meteorites among over 77,000 recognized meteorites discovered on Earth. Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman for science and natural history at Sotheby’s, emphasized the significance of this discovery, stating, “This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot.” She noted that it is more than double the size of what was previously considered the largest piece of Martian material.
While the exact time when this meteorite was expelled from Mars remains uncertain, testing revealed that it likely occurred in recent years. A specialized laboratory examined a sample of this Martian remnant and confirmed its origin. It was compared to the distinct chemical makeup of Martian meteorites collected during the Viking space probe mission in 1976. The analysis identified it as an “olivine-microgabbroic shergottite,” a unique type of Martian rock that formed from the slow cooling of Martian magma. This meteorite features a coarse-grained texture and contains minerals like pyroxene and olivine, along with a glassy surface, a result of the intense heat experienced during its descent through Earth’s atmosphere.
Prior to the auction, this remarkable meteorite was on display at the Italian Space Agency in Rome, showcasing its significance in the scientific community.
In addition to the Martian meteorite, the auction featured a juvenile Ceratosaurus nasicornis dinosaur skeleton, which began with a staggering advance bid of $6 million. The bidding process saw offers increasing by $500,000 at first and later by $1 million increments, ultimately concluding at $26 million. With fees and costs included, the official sale price reached an impressive $30.5 million, far exceeding the initial estimate of $4 million to $6 million.
Parts of this remarkable skeleton were excavated in 1996 near Laramie, Wyoming, at Bone Cabin Quarry, known for its rich deposits of dinosaur bones. Standing over 6 feet (2 meters) tall and nearly 11 feet (3 meters) long, this skeleton was meticulously assembled from nearly 140 fossil bones, combined with sculpted materials to recreate a lifelike exhibit, according to Sotheby’s.
The Ceratosaurus lived during the late Jurassic period, approximately 150 million years ago, and was characterized by its bipedal stance and relatively short arms, reminiscent of the infamous Tyrannosaurus rex, albeit smaller in size. While Ceratosaurus dinosaurs could grow up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) long, T. rex specimens reached lengths of up to 40 feet (12 meters).
Last year, the skeleton was acquired by Fossilogic, a Utah-based company specializing in fossil preparation and mounting, setting the stage for its spectacular auction debut. The auction was part of Sotheby’s Geek Week 2025, featuring a total of 122 unique items, including other meteorites, fossils, and gem-quality minerals.
