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Photos: Rare Meteorite Worth $2 Million Crashes Through Man’s Roof

Who knew a meteorite could be worth so much?

Recently, a 4.5-pound space rock crashed through the roof of an Indonesian man’s home. Josua Hutagalung, the 33-year-old who builds caskets for a living, sold the meteor for almost $2 million. Just wow.

“When I lifted it, the stone was still warm, and I brought it into the house,” Hutagalung told local news outlet Kompas of his meteorite find.

Hutagulung was working next to the house in Kolang, North Sumatra, when the meteor hit. The incident was back in August when people can see Perseid meteor showers.

Hutagulong Said Meteorite Shook His House

“The sound was so loud that parts of the house were shaking, too,” Hutagulung said. “And after I searched, I saw that the tin roof of the house had broken.

“I strongly suspect that this rock is indeed an object from the sky that many people call a meteorite. Because it is impossible someone deliberately threw it or dropped it from above.”

clip on his Facebook page shows the spot where the rock hit. puncturing the home’s overhang.

Collectors Love These Space Rocks

Why did the meteorite command such a high price? For one, it’s old – try 4.5 billion years.

It’s also super rare. It’s classified as a CM1/2 carbonaceous Chondrite. It was worth $857 a gram, or about $1.85 million.

Jay Piatek, a doctor from Indianapolis, bought the rock. He collects them. Piatek made his money through a weight-loss clinic. And he spends money on ancient rocks. According to Science magazine, he owns several pieces from Mars.

The New York Post reported that the meteor created a buzz in the scientific community.

Jared Collins, who is from the United States, was the middleman on the sale.

“My phone lit up with crazy offers for me to jump on a plane and buy the meteorite,” Collins said. “It was in the middle of the COVID crisis, and frankly, it was a toss-up between buying the rock for myself or working with scientists and collectors in the US.”

“I carried as much money as I could muster,” Collins said. “And (I) went to find Josua, who turned out to be a canny negotiator.”