Controversy Erupts After $5 Million Martian Meteorite Auction, Niger Investigates
Controversy Erupts After $5 Million Martian Meteorite Auction, Niger Investigates
A 54-pound Martian meteorite, dubbed the largest ever found on Earth, has ignited a major international dispute following its record-breaking sale for over $5 million at a New York auction last month. The West African nation of Niger, where the rare space rock was unearthed in the Sahara Desert, has launched an official investigation into what it describes as potential “illicit international trafficking.”
The meteorite, known as NWA 16788, was sold at Sotheby’s on July 8, 2025, setting a new world record for such an object. However, Niger’s government announced its probe shortly after the sale, seeking to clarify the circumstances of its discovery and export. Further escalating the situation, President Abdourahamane Tiani last week suspended the nationwide export of “precious stones, semi-precious stones and meteorites” to enhance traceability and prevent future unauthorized sales.
Sotheby’s, the renowned auction house, has firmly disputed Niger’s allegations, stating that the meteorite was exported and transported in full compliance with all relevant international procedures and documentation. The case highlights a complex legal grey area, as international heritage laws, such as the UNESCO convention, may consider meteorites as cultural property, yet proving ownership and theft remains a challenge for countries like Niger, which lacks specific meteorite legislation.
Discovered by a meteorite hunter in November 2023, the rock’s journey from Mars to Earth and then through various hands to a private gallery in Italy before its New York auction has drawn global attention. As the investigation unfolds, the legal battle over this extraterrestrial treasure is set to test the boundaries of international heritage law and the burgeoning market for space artifacts.
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