Indonesian Man Sells Million-Dollar Meteorite For Just GBP 10K

An Indonesian man has reportedly sold a million-dollar space rock to an American buyer for just over GBP 10,000.

North Sumatran coffin maker Joshua Hutagalung, 33, found the meteorite after it fell through his roof in early August.

Mr Hutagalung’s house was hit by the 2.2-kilogramme meteor while he was working in his house in Kolang in the Indonesian province of North Sumatra, damaging his roof and burying itself 15 centimetres in the ground.

International media previously reported that he had sold the rock to Bali-based American collector Jared Collins for IDR 200 billion (GBP 10.6 million), but it turns out he was duped and only sold it for IDR 200 million (GBP 10,630).

Credit: @josua.d.hutg/Newsflash

The father-of-two told the Jakarta Post: “I have spent all the [money I got from selling the meteorite to Collins helping my family and local orphans, building a church and repairing my parents’ graves.”

He had previously turned down other buyers who offered IDR 1 billion (GBP 52,985) thinking that they were not serious, according to reports.

However, Collins flew over from Bali and offered him IDR 200 million in person and added another IDR 14 million (GBP 742) to fix his roof, an offer he accepted.

According to reports, fragments of the meteorite were later put up for sale for IDR 14.2 million (GBP 752 GBP) per gram.

Mr Hutagalung’s meteor is an extremely rare CM1/2 carbonaceous Chondrite meteor estimated to be 4.5 billion years old.

He has however kept 400 grammes of the rock, which he has divided between his family and is now keeping “as a memento” instead of selling it.

Collins denies being anything more than a go-between for a US meteorite expert who asked him to verify its authenticity and protect it before delivering it to the US.

His lawyer, Shanty Soekowati, told the Jakarta Post that the reports were false and that “the real figure is confidential between the two parties, Joshua and the American national”.


To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Les Steed, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

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