33-year-old coffin maker in Indonesia becomes instant millionaire by selling meteorit
18th November 2020 – (Jakarta) A COFFIN maker Josua Hutagalung in Indonesia became an instant millionaire when a 1.4 million pound piece of space rock crashed into its roof.
Joshua Hutagalung, 33, was at home when the football-sized meteorite crashed through the veranda at the edge of his living room.
Experts named the 4.5 billion year old space rock as one of the most important meteorite finds ever discovered. It could contain elements that give clues to the origins of life.
Joshua from Kolang in North Sumatra once sold the stone to a specialist collector – and that gave him enough money to retire and build a new church in his village.
He said, “I was working on a coffin near the street in front of my house when I heard a booming noise that made my house shake. It was like a tree fell on us.
“It was too hot to pick it up so my wife dug it up with a hoe and we put it back in.”
For the 2.2 kg rock he received the equivalent of 30 years’ salary.
The good-hearted father of three children has pledged to use part of the money to build a church for his community.
He said, “I’ve always wanted a girl and I hope this is a sign that I’ll be lucky enough to have one now.”
Space rock expert Jared Collins was sent from his home in Bali to secure the meteorite.
The American said, “My phone lit up with crazy offers for me to hop on a plane and buy the meteorite.
“It was in the middle of the Covid crisis and to be honest, it was a mixture of buying the stone for me or working with scientists and collectors in the US.
“I took as much money as I could raise and went to see Joshua, who turned out to be a wise negotiator.
Fragments of the meteorite, secured by a second collector, are currently selling on eBay for £ 757 per gram. The value of the 1.839 g hammer stone – as the main rock calls it – is almost 1.4 million. Pound Sterling.
Collins sent the space rock to America, where it was purchased by an American collector who stored it in liquid nitrogen at the Arizona State University’s Centre for Meteorite Studies.
The meteorite is classified as a CM1 / 2 carbonaceous chondrite, an extremely rare variety that scientists say contains unique amino acids and other essential elements necessary for the spark of life itself.
The stone fell into the ground in August.
Other meteorites have cost high prices because of the rare metals inside.
The Fukang meteorite found in China in 2000 is worth around £ 1.5 million.
PICS 33-year-old coffin maker in Indonesia becomes instant millionaire by selling meteorite that fell on his house - Dimsum Daily
