59-Pound Meteorite Sphere and Massive Gold Nugget Lead Heritage Natural History Auction
A massive meteorite sphere weighing nearly 60 pounds and a gold nugget topping three kilograms will headline Heritage Auctions’ August 26 Natural History Signature Auction.
The sale will feature meteorites, fossils and other unusual natural-history collectibles, including specimens from Mars, a mammoth tusk and a large piece of glass tied to the Manhattan Project.
Leading the auction is a polished Seymchan Meteorite Sphere weighing 26.76 kilograms, or approximately 59 pounds. The sphere was made from the Seymchan meteorite and features golden-green olivine crystals embedded in nickel and iron. Heritage describes the piece as an unusually large example of the pallasite meteorite variety.
“This auction features some singular and truly exceptional specimens, including an immense Seymchan pallasite sphere, the main mass of the Stardust Mine Martian Meteorite, a 99-troy ounce gold nugget and massive slice of the Fukang Meteorite,” Heritage Auctions Vice President of Natural History Craig Kissick said.
Another major lot is a 3,088.16-gram Australian gold nugget weighing 99.3 troy ounces.
The nugget measures approximately 6.3 inches and, according to Heritage, examples approaching 100 ounces are extremely uncommon. The auction house said its size and sculptural appearance elevate it beyond its bullion value and into the realm of a collectible.
Rare Meteorites Fill the Auction
Collectors will also have an opportunity to bid on a large slice of the Fukang Meteorite. The pallasite slice measures more than 14 inches and weighs more than seven pounds. Its nickel and iron structure is filled with translucent olivine crystals displaying colors ranging from gold to green.
Another major meteorite is the 875-gram Stardust Mine Martian Meteorite. Discovered in 2024, the 4.5-inch specimen is classified as the main mass of the Stardust Mine Meteorite. Heritage said its orientation and visible flow lines provide evidence of the meteorite’s journey through the atmosphere before landing in Arizona.
Also included is the Wadsworth Meteorite, which Heritage identifies as the sixth-largest recovered specimen from its fall. The meteorite weighs more than 54 grams and retains a glossy black surface. It fell in Ohio on St. Patrick’s Day this year, with sonic booms accompanying the event. An immediate recovery effort helped preserve the specimen before significant weathering could occur.
Fossils and Mammoth Tusk Also Head to Auction
The August auction will extend beyond meteorites.
A 16-inch “Gem” Ammonite Fossil dating to the Late Cretaceous Period will be offered. The fossilized shell, more than 70 million years old, displays iridescent coloring on both sides.
Another gem ammonite preserved in matrix will also be available.
Heritage will additionally offer a 45-inch woolly mammoth tusk nicknamed “Big Blue.” The tusk shows what the auction house describes as nearly complete vivianite replacement.
Another unusual natural specimen is a 12-inch fulgurite from Egypt. Fulgurites are created when lightning strikes sand and rapidly transforms it into glass. Heritage described the Egyptian specimen as an example of one of the natural world’s more unusual phenomena.
Manhattan Project Glass Offers Piece of Atomic History
One of the auction’s most historically connected lots is a 10.7-kilogram, or approximately 23.5-pound, piece of Manhattan Project glass. The rough yellow glass was used as specialized radiation shielding at the Hanford Site in Washington State. Heritage said the combination of its size, color and connection to the Manhattan Project gives the piece museum-level appeal.