Certificate of authenticity
A certificate of authenticity is a document from a seller stating that a meteorite is genuine; it is only as reliable as its issuer.
A certificate of authenticity is a card or document issued by a seller stating that a specimen is a genuine meteorite. It usually gives the name, classification, mass and sometimes a photograph.
Certificates can be useful records, but they are not official documents. Anyone can print one, and certificates have been supplied with fake meteorites. Their value depends entirely on the honesty and knowledge of the person who issued them. A certificate from a respected dealer or institution is reassuring; one from an unknown seller adds little.
The best checks are independent. Confirm that the name appears in the Meteoritical Bulletin's database, that the classification matches, and that the specimen looks like other pieces of the same meteorite. Weathering, crust, interior texture and magnetism should all fit. Keep certificates together with labels and receipts as part of the specimen's provenance, but treat them as one piece of evidence, not proof.
Related terms
Level: Explorer Ages 10 and up