I Found a Meteorite. What Do I Do Now?
You think your rock might be the real thing. Here is the order to take it in, from a free check to a laboratory test to selling or keeping it, without damaging the specimen or wasting money along the way.
Screen it free first to rule out the common look-alikes. If it stays a strong candidate, get it tested, because only a laboratory and a published Meteoritical Bulletin classification can confirm a meteorite. Protect the specimen, do not over-clean it, and record exactly where you found it. Then decide whether to sell or keep it.
Add a photo and the optional analysis weighs the specific features for and against your rock, for a sharper read.
Most rocks people bring in are meteorwrongs, so the goal early on is to spend nothing until there is a real reason to. Work through these steps in order.
01 Screen it before you spend anything
Run the free Meteorite Check screening first. It walks you through the same checks a specialist would start with, magnet response, density, fusion crust, the streak test, and the interior, and gives an honest result in a couple of minutes. If your rock is a common look-alike, you will know quickly and save the cost of testing it.
If you want to understand the checks in depth, read how to tell if a rock is a meteorite.
02 Protect the specimen and the find details
If the screening keeps your rock in play, handle it carefully, because an intact specimen is worth more than a damaged one and is easier to confirm.
- Do not clean it, sand it, or soak it. The dark fusion crust on the surface is a key feature and has value. Scrubbing it off works against you.
- Do not cut a whole stone yourself. A small window is sometimes useful, but cutting an intact specimen can reduce its value and is best left until after an expert has seen it.
- Keep it dry. Iron in a meteorite rusts, so store it somewhere dry, ideally with a desiccant pack, and handle it as little as possible.
- Record where you found it. Photograph the rock where it lay and note the location, by GPS if you can. Find location matters scientifically, and a witnessed or well-documented find is taken more seriously.
03 Get a real candidate confirmed
No photo, no app, and no at-home test can confirm a meteorite. Screening can flag a strong candidate, but confirmation comes from a laboratory. A meteorite is officially recognized once it is classified and published in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database, the record kept by the Meteoritical Society. For iron-rich candidates, a laboratory test for nickel is a strong filter, since meteoritic metal always contains nickel and most man-made metal does not.
If your screening reaches a strong-candidate result, the app can send a referral straight to a partner laboratory for your region, with your permission. A referral is an introduction, not an acceptance: the laboratory decides whether to take it further. To see what a confirmed, documented specimen looks like, read Treasure Coast's note on authenticity and certificates.
04 Work out what it might be, and what it is worth
If it holds up, it helps to understand the family it might belong to and what drives value. Stony, iron, and stony-iron meteorites look and price very differently, and value depends on type, condition, total known weight, and whether a fall was witnessed.
For background, see Treasure Coast's guides to types of meteorites and collecting for beginners, which covers how value and documentation work.
05 Decide whether to sell or keep it
Once a find is confirmed, the choice is yours. Many finders keep a piece and sell the rest, or keep the whole specimen. If you do sell, work with a specialist meteorite dealer who documents specimens properly, rather than a general marketplace where misidentified rocks and fakes are common.
Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. works with finders on authentic material, classified and unclassified, and can talk through options for a confirmed find. You can reach the shop here.
Start with a free screening
Run the checks in a couple of minutes and get an honest result before you spend anything on testing.
See which features help or hurt your rock
The free screening scores your answers. Add a photo and the optional analysis reads the rock itself, feature by feature. It calls out the specific signs that raise its potential, a dark fusion crust, bright metal flecks, or chondrules on a cut face, and the specific signs that count against it, gas vesicles, quartz, layering, or surface sparkle. You get the reasons behind your result, not just the number.
It works with the screening, not around it. It adds detail and explains your result. It cannot turn a look-alike into a meteorite, and only a laboratory can confirm a real one.
Add a photo in the app. From $1.99. No subscription required.
Common questions
- How do I get a meteorite verified?
- Only a laboratory can confirm one. A meteorite is officially recognized once it is classified and published in the Meteoritical Bulletin Database. Screening can flag a strong candidate and point you to a laboratory, but it cannot confirm one.
- Should I clean my suspected meteorite?
- No. Cleaning, sanding, or soaking can remove the fusion crust and cause rust, both of which lower its value and make confirmation harder. Keep it dry and handle it as little as possible.
- Should I cut it open to see inside?
- Not a whole specimen, not yet. An intact specimen is worth more and easier to confirm. If a window is already cut or the rock is broken, the interior is useful to look at, but do not cut an intact stone before an expert has seen it.
- How much is my meteorite worth?
- It depends on type, condition, total known weight, and whether the fall was witnessed, and it only has market value once confirmed. A specialist dealer can give a realistic read on a confirmed find.
- Where should I send it for testing?
- To a laboratory or a university meteorite group. If your screening reaches a strong-candidate result, the app can send a referral to a partner laboratory for your region with your permission. The laboratory decides whether to take it further.