Ten million dollars for a rock?

John Baker

John Baker

Final Approach
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John Baker
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On tonights NBC news, there was an interesting story about a rock, a big rock. The Los Angeles Museum of Art is paying ten million dollars for a big rock, a huge rock. They are setting it up in a large concrete display so that people can not only walk around their big rock, they will also be able to walk under it.

This kind of reminds me of the pet rock phenomenon that swept America back in the early 1970s. Millions of rocks, packaged in a small cardboard box sold for $4.95. There was nothing unusual about the rock that was put in the box, it was just a rock that anyone could pick up anywhere. Millions of Americans bought one or even several of those $4.95 rocks.

Myself, I sold three pallets full of them.

The ten million dollar rock, that anyone can see most anywhere if they drive through the California back hills, is now considered to be fine art, simply because it will be cleverly displayed, much like the pet rock, in the Los Angles Museum of Art.

Ten Million Dollars, ($10,000,000.00)

It's an amazing world we live in. P.T. Barnum is, without a doubt, smiling in his grave. :lol:

John
 
Whoever brokered that deal probably sold freezers to eskimo's above the arctic circle...
 
John Baker said:
This kind of reminds me of the pet rock phenomenon that swept America back in the early 1970s. Millions of rocks, packaged in a small cardboard box sold for $4.95. There was nothing unusual about the rock that was put in the box, it was just a rock that anyone could pick up anywhere. Millions of Americans bought one or even several of those $4.95 rocks. John
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My dad has a fish tank full of "pet rocks" about $3000 worth. :D:rofl::rofl:When my friends ask if I have pets, I go yep..... ROCKS.
 
I always wonder how we have reached the point where "people" will stand in one for days to pay $250 for a pair of tennis shoes, and riot and destroy private property when the supply runs out.

I have a clue for them. China will be making knock offs for $15 in 72 hours. :rofl:
 
Geico266 said:
I always wonder how we have reached the point where "people" will stand in one for days to pay $250 for a pair of tennis shoes, and riot and destroy private property when the supply runs out.

I have a clue for them. China will be making knock offs for $15 in 72 hours. :rofl:
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The $250 tennis shoes ARE the $15 knock-offs.
 
I was at a business dinner the other night with a guy who used to be the CFO for Ripleys Believe It or Not and got to sign off on all of their ridiculous purchases. His best story was about procurement of a 10 foot pen-s which he paid $10,000 for. It was from a whale, but I imagine being able to tell people that he had a 10 foot pen-s was easily worth the $10k.
 
I'd happily pay that kind of money for a rock. Diamonds are rocks. So are emeralds and rubies.
 
steingar said:
I'd happily pay that kind of money for a rock. Diamonds are rocks. So are emeralds and rubies.
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Hoo boy. Now you've taken this in another direction entirely -- which is the lunacy of paying bazillions for tiny little shiny things that look EXACTLY like the $4.00 versions of tiny little shiny things.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Hoo boy. Now you've taken this in another direction entirely -- which is the lunacy of paying bazillions for tiny little shiny things that look EXACTLY like the $4.00 versions of tiny little shiny things.
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I pay more for solid gold watches too. Can't really tell them from the fill watches, unless the latter show some brassing. Way of the world. Some things have intrinsic value.
 
The Los Angeles Museum of Art is paying ten million dollars for a big rock, a huge rock.
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I am RICH! I am freaking RICH! My ship has come in; I can now afford that Gulfstream! An island of my own in the Bahamas!
Ok, who do I sell all these rocks to?
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I am RICH! I am freaking RICH! My ship has come in; I can now afford that Gulfstream! An island of my own in the Bahamas!
Ok, who do I sell all these rocks to?
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To someone dumber than a box of rocks, of course! :)
 
Cap'n Jack said:
To someone dumber than a box of rocks, of course! :)
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The trick lies in finding the right huge group of people, and just as importantly be stupid enough to come up with something idiotic that they will buy like crazy.

If pet rocks in a cardboard box with holes in it will sell like they did...
 
Is it a beautiful rock?
 
John Baker said:
This kind of reminds me of the pet rock phenomenon that swept America back in the early 1970s. Millions of rocks, packaged in a small cardboard box sold for $4.95. There was nothing unusual about the rock that was put in the box, it was just a rock that anyone could pick up anywhere. Millions of Americans bought one or even several of those $4.95 rocks.
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Pet Rock Prison

gabiontuck.jpg
 
When I would set my pet rock on an incline, I renamed it Mick Jagger.

But unfortunately in that state, it couldn't be the leading lady in the Matrix trilogy.


(I'll let Spike try to figure those two out)
 
No rocks, but I've got a little chunk of the Berlin Wall in a box somewhere (or so it claims, it's just a hunk of concrete).

I also have a chipped corner of a paver brick from Red Square. This I know the its provenance. I picked it up from the ground in Red Square myself back in 1975.

Of course, in another corner of LA, a museum (well science center) is spending 200 million to bring a thing that flew like a rock called Endeavour to town.
 
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AggieMike88 said:
When I would set my pet rock on an incline, I renamed it Mick Jagger.

But unfortunately in that state, it couldn't be the leading lady in the Matrix trilogy.


(I'll let Spike try to figure those two out)
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First was easy. Second, I had to look up her name.:)
 
I always heard the largest rock in the world was called "Stone Mountain" in Georgia. But I don't think the town of Stone Mountain would take $10mm for it, and besides, it might be difficult to move. Even with TWO Sikorskis.
 
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