Staunton Iron Meteorite Specimen Rare Official IIIE Iron Meteorite Virginia Meteorite Found 1869

An authentic specimen of the historic Staunton meteorite, a rare IIIE iron meteorite discovered in 1869 in the United States. Staunton is one of the scarce officially classified IIIE iron meteorites known to science, placing it within an exceptionally limited and highly collectible group of iron meteorites formed deep within the metallic cores of ancient differentiated asteroids.

With a total known recovered mass of only 43.5 kilograms, Staunton material remains highly desirable among advanced meteorite collectors due to its rarity, historic American provenance, and classification significance.

Official Classification

• Name: Staunton
• Country: United States
• Year Found: 1869
• Classification: Iron Meteorite (IIIE)
• Total Known Weight: 43.5 kg
• Historical References: Buchwald (1975), NHM Catalogue, MetBase

IIIE iron meteorites are among the less commonly encountered iron meteorite groups, with only a small number officially recognized worldwide. These meteorites originated within the metallic interior of ancient asteroids that were shattered by catastrophic collisions early in solar system history billions of years ago.

Depending on preparation, Staunton specimens may display:

• Iron-nickel metallic structure
• Etched Widmanstätten patterns
• Regmaglypts and atmospheric sculpting
• Natural oxidation textures
• Polished or cut iron surfaces

Historic American iron meteorites such as Staunton are highly sought after for:

• Advanced meteorite collections
• Historic American meteorite locality collections
• Iron meteorite collections
• Planetary science and educational displays
• Museum-quality extraterrestrial artifacts
• Investment-grade meteorite specimens

The meteorite is referenced in the classic scientific work: Buchwald, Vagn F. (1975) Handbook of Iron Meteorites — one of the foundational publications in meteoritics and iron meteorite research.

A remarkable extraterrestrial artifact originating from the exposed metallic core of an ancient destroyed asteroid.

Specimen size: 18 × 0.3 × 0.3 mm | Weight: 0.75g

Condition: Please review all photos carefully for overall condition, oxidation, cut surfaces, etched structure, and preparation characteristics, as they are considered part of the description. Iron meteorites are natural extraterrestrial objects and commonly display oxidation, fractures, weathering, and structural variation from terrestrial exposure and preservation.