The figure that set headlines was the final price: about $5.3 million including buyer’s premium, after a winning bid near $4.3 million. That distinction between the hammer price and the total due matters to collectors. The hammer is the last bid recognized by the auctioneer; the final price adds the house’s buyer’s premium and any taxes or fees. In high‑end categories, this spread can be significant, and disciplined bidders plan against the all‑in figure.
Designated Northwest Africa (NWA) 16788, the specimen is a shergottite—an igneous rock from Mars. At 24.67 kilograms (about 54 pounds), it’s the largest known piece of Mars on Earth, roughly 70% bigger than the next‑largest specimen. Measuring nearly 15 inches at its longest dimension, it presents a crimson‑to‑russet tone with a dark glassy fusion crust: visual cues of its Martian origin and fiery entry through Earth’s atmosphere.
Discovery came in November 2023 in Niger’s remote Agadez Region of the Sahara. Laboratory work confirmed its Martian chemistry and maskelynite—shock‑formed glass that signals a violent launch from the Red Planet, likely from an ancient impact. From there, the rock journeyed some 140 million miles before landing in a landscape where such finds can be recovered intact.
On the block in July 2025, the meteorite carried a $2–4 million estimate. Bidding was measured rather than frenzied, yet competition pushed the price above the high estimate, and fees did the rest. The result set a record for any meteorite at auction. It was also a resonant moment for natural science objects, arriving in the same series as a juvenile Ceratosaurus skeleton that drew blockbuster attention.
What does this mean for collectors? First, the pool of serious buyers for scientifically important material is global and growing. Second, cataloging matters: clear classification, independent expertise, and complete condition reporting are non‑negotiable for top prices. Finally, supply remains finite. Fewer than 400 Martian meteorites are known, and most are pebble‑sized. A centerpiece like NWA 16788 is an outlier by any measure.
For regional houses, the lesson is similar to what we see with high‑end fossils and film props: when scholarship, presentation, and provenance align, the market responds. That demand lifts attention to quality consignments across categories from minerals and meteorites to Americana and fine antiques well beyond the coasts.