Largest Martian Meteorite on Earth, NWA 16788, Set for Sotheby’s Auction in New York
Sotheby’s is auctioning NWA 16788, a 54‑lb Martian meteorite and the largest known piece from Mars. Discovered in Niger in November 2023, it's expected to fetch $2–4 million at Geek Week 2025
image for illustrative purpose
Sotheby’s New York will auction NWA 16788, the largest known Martian meteorite on Earth, during its Geek Week 2025 natural history sale. This colossal specimen weighs 54 lb (24.67 kg)—about 70% larger than the next-largest Mars fragment—making up roughly 7% of all Martian material ever found on Earth.
Discovered in Niger’s Agadez region in November 2023, a meteorite hunter unearthed this massive olivine‑microgabbroic shergottite. It likely originated from an asteroid impact on Mars, traveled approximately 140 million miles, and survived atmospheric entry—resulting in its distinct glassy surface.
Sotheby’s estimates the meteorite will sell for $2–4 million in the auction scheduled for July 16, 2025, with pre-auction bidding already nearing $1.6 million. A small sample was sent for chemical analysis, confirming its Martian origin by matching Viking mission data.
Currently on public display at Sotheby’s galleries through July 15, the piece was previously exhibited at the Italian Space Agency in Rome. Along with a juvenile Ceratosaurus skeleton stocked to fetch $4–6 million, it headlines the 122-item sale.
While collectors are excited, some scientists argue such an extraordinary specimen should instead reside in museums or research institutions. Others believe private ownership may help expand scientific access to rare materials.
