Josua Hutagalung, a 33-year-old man from Indonesia has become an instant news sensation in his hometown when a meteorite crashed into his how. But what was so special about the meteorite?
An Indonesian coffin maker became an instant millionaire when a meteorite worth £1.4 million crashed through the roof of his house. The meteorite is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old.
Josua Hutaglung the Instant Millionaire
Josua Hutagalung informed provincial news website Kompas about his first encounter with the meteorite that crashed into his home.
When I lifted it, the stone was still warm and I brought it into the house. The sound was so loud that parts of the house were shaking too. And after I searched, I saw that the tin roof of the house had broken.
Josua Hutagalung
Hutagalung took the specimen to a specialist collector. And he was offered sufficient cash to retire and construct a contemporary church in his town. Hutagalung was compensated really well. According to reports he was given 30 years’ worth of salary for the meteorite.
In a Facebook post, Hutagalung talked about the meteorite and how he wishes that good luck would come to him and his family.
Suddenly a black rock fell from the sky. Surprised me. But whatever it is, hopefully, a good sign for our family. I have also always wanted a daughter, and I hope this is a sign that I will be lucky enough now to have one.
Josua Hutagalung to The Sun Newspaper
According to reports, three other pieces of the meteorite, which was officially called Kolang, were discovered in nearby places when it fell to earth. One was uncovered in paddy pastureland narrower than three kilometers from Hutagalung’s home.
Several individuals were caught near Hutagalung’s home to catch a glimpse of the infrequent entity before he ended it.
Many people have come, out of curiosity, and want to see the stone.
Josua Hutagalung
(Source: Gulf News)
How Did Word About the Meteorite Get Out?
One Bali-based expert, Jared Collins, was dispatched to check on the story. He explained how his phone exploded with crazy offers to get on a plane to Indonesia to buy the meteorite.
I carried as much money as I could muster and went to find Josua, who turned out to be a canny negotiator.
Jared Collins
Collins showed Josua a portion of the money that was equivalent to 30 years’ earnings for the coffin-maker. The deal was done and the meteorite was sent over to Indianapolis, and displayed at Jay Piatek’s exhibition.
(Source: I Heart)
How Have Meteorites Been Sold?
Meteorites are generally marketed by how much they weigh. The Meteorite Gathering Society uses the metric method so weights are gauged in grams and kilograms, and proportions in centimeters and millimeters.
As is with most collectibles, the retail value of a meteorite is differentiated by several aspects including the rarity of type, provenance, condition of preservation, and beauty or aesthetic appeal.
Meteorites are priced by the gram with the cheapest pure-rock varieties fetching $0.50 to $5.00 per gram and those with rare extra-terrestrial metals trading for up to $1,000 per gram. (Source: Geology)