The largest piece of Mars on Earth became the most valuable meteorite ever sold at auction at Sotheby’s annual ”Geek Week,” and a full Ceratosaurus skeleton fetched $30 million. Next up for bidding: an Apple computer hand-built by Steve Jobs.

You can be hoodwinked by unscrupulous meteorite dealers. Worse, you can buy a bona fide meteorite, and, by failing to show it proper care, see it disintegrate into stardust before your very eyes.

Buy a Meteorite for a Million Dollars. ... “It’s interesting how you price meteorites,” said James Hyslop, a specialist at Christie’s London who’s organized an April 20 sale of 76 ...

Cost also depends on the kind of meteorite. There are three basic types: stones, irons, and stoney irons. Stones consist of ordinary chondrites, which sell for between $3 and $10 per gram.