Gibeon Meteorite 1,742g, Premium Collector's Specimen | Namibia, Africa.

Premium Gibeon meteorite, complete individual with natural desert patina. An extraordinary Gibeon with an outstanding shape. This rare find is a striking specimen of cosmic fine art, with an eye-catching sculptural aesthetic. Originally exported from Namibia in the mid-90s, by a South African dealer, who considered it to be one of the most unique Gibeon meteorites he’d seen. He sold it to a meteorite collector, only to repurchase it again later from his client, to have for his personal collection. He kept it for many years, until 2023, when we acquired it from our South African friend. This is by far the largest and most striking of all the Gibeon specimens we have from his collection. A one of a kind collector’s piece, we have yet to see any other Gibeon like this one.

• Meteorite Official Name: Gibeon
• Classification: Iron, IVA
• Place of Find: Namaqualand (Namaland), Namib Desert, Namibia
• Weight: 1,742g
• Approximate size: 14 x 12 x 9cm
  
  

About Gibeon Meteorites

Gibeon impacted Earth in prehistoric times in Namaland, Namibia, Africa. These iron meteorites originate from the core of an ancient asteroid, dated at 4.5 billion years old. Gibeon meteorites were first collected by the Nama people and used for making tools and weapons. Gibeon was discovered and analyzed in 1836, officially classified and named after the nearest village town of Gibeon.

Gibeon is a fine octahedrite iron meteorite, this means when cut or sliced and an acid treatment is applied, the meteorite reveals a striking crystalline structure, known as the Widmanstätten pattern. The crystals are iron-nickel alloys, Kamacite and Taenite. Widmanstätten patterns are created in space, when the molten iron and nickel of planetary bodies begin the cooling process. As Taenite cools, plates of crystalized Kamacite grow through it, once the metal cools and hardens, the crystals stop growing and the pattern freezes. This cooling process occurs very slowly, over millions of years. Widmanstätten patterns are only found in celestial bodies from space, the pattern has never been replicated here on Earth.

Octahedrites are classified according to the thickness of the Kamacite plates. Coarse octahedrites have a band width of 1.5-3mm. Medium octahedrites have a band width of 0.5-1.5mm. Fine octahedites have a band width of 0.2-0.5mm. Below 0.2mm, three other types of octahedrites are apparent. 
 

Are Gibeon Meteorites Rare? 
Yes, Gibeon meteorites are a rare find, they are no longer readily available on the market. While many Gibeon meteorite specimens are in existence, most of these iron meteorites are already in private collections. 

Gibeon meteorites were one of the most readily available meteorites in the past but are difficult to obtain now. In 2004, Namibia introduced a new National Heritage act, this placed an export ban on meteorites. Under this law, it's considered an offense to uncover or move a Gibeon meteorite from it's find location. Today Gibeon meteorites are traded among collectors, museums and a handful of meteorite dealers who exported before 2004, or acquired Gibeons from old collections. This is why uncut, whole individual Gibeon meteorite specimens continue to become more rare and valuable.