Largest Mars rock on sale! Sotheby's New York puts rare Martian meteorite up for auction

A 24.67 kg (54.388 lbs) Martian meteorite, believed to be the biggest known piece of Mars on Earth, is on display at Sotheby's in New York. Valued between $2 million and $4 million, the rare rock will be featured in the auction house’s Geek Week sale on 16 July 2025. (Image: AP/Richard Drew)

One of the rarest rocks ever seen on Earth is up for sale. A meteorite from Mars, heavy and near flawless, is catching eyes far beyond the world of science.

Largest Mars Rock Ever Found to Be Auctioned

Sotheby’s in New York will auction the meteorite on 16 July. Known as NWA 16788, the space rock weighs over 25 kilograms. It is 15 inches wide and is the largest Martian specimen ever found.

Discovered in Niger’s remote Agadez Region in 2023, the meteorite travelled roughly 225 million miles through space. It is about 70% bigger than any other known Martian rock on Earth.

Bidding has already reached $1.6 million (around Rs 13 crore). The final sale could exceed $4 million (about Rs 33.4 crore), according to Sotheby’s auction team.

Only 400 Martian Meteorites Known to Science

Martian meteorites make up just 0.6% of known finds. Out of over 77,000 meteorites discovered on Earth, only 400 are confirmed to be from Mars.

This single meteorite represents 6.5% of all Martian material ever recovered. Experts believe it was formed when a large asteroid hit Mars. The impact likely blasted debris into space, sending fragments towards Earth.

One of those fragments survived atmospheric entry and landed in the Sahara Desert. Sotheby’s says this specimen shows very little weathering, which suggests it is a recent arrival.

Experts Call for Public Access to Rare Find

Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman of science and natural history at Sotheby’s, said the meteorite offers rare scientific value. “The odds of this getting from there to here are astronomically small,” she noted in a video message.

Hatton also said the rock is like a complete dataset from Mars. Its chemical structure remains intact, giving researchers a near-pristine look at Martian material.

However, not all scientists are happy about the sale. Steve Brusatte, a professor at the University of Edinburgh, expressed concern. He told CNN the rock should be in a museum, not a private vault.

The meteorite is on public display at Sotheby’s galleries until 15 July. The auction will also include rare fossils, dinosaur skeletons, and ancient geological wonders.