A massive piece of Mars, weighing 54lb, is going up for sale at Sotheby’s on July 16, with an estimated price range of $2 million to $4 million. The meteorite, NWA 16788, was discovered in Niger by meteorite scouts and has been confirmed as Martian in origin through analysis of small fragments.
Found 90km west of the Chirfa Oasis, the rust-red rock is nearly double the size of previously thought largest piece of Mars on Earth. With only around 400 Martian meteorites known to exist on Earth, this specimen stands out for its rarity and size.
Scientists believe the meteorite was flung into space after an asteroid struck Mars at some point in the distant past. The combined weight of all Mars meteorites is approximately 925lb, making NWA 16788 a significant portion of that total mass.
The sale is part of Sotheby’s “geek week” auction, founded by Cassandra Hatton in 2017. Other notable items up for bid include a juvenile ceratosaurus dinosaur fossil, one of only four known examples, and a rare asteroid strike event thought to have formed the meteorite.
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/01/worlds-biggest-piece-mars-rock-sell-for-up-to-4m-dollars