NWA 17706 Lunar Meteorite Individual, Troctolitic Anorthosite Melt Breccia, 53.80g, Complete Stone from Earth's Moon

NWA 17706 Lunar Meteorite Individual, Troctolitic Anorthosite Melt Breccia, 53.80g, Complete Stone from Earth's MoonNWA 17706, a 53. 80 gram complete lunar individual This 53. 80 gram complete individual of NWA 17706 is a genuine piece of the Moon, recovered as a single whole stone and offered from the same documented lot of NWA 17706 lunar material in our classified inventory. It is a larger individual than the piece we offered previously, and the surface on this example stands out, a dark and glossy exterior carrying a pronounced melt texture and well defined

NWA 17706, a 53.80 gram complete lunar individual

This 53.80 gram complete individual of NWA 17706 is a genuine piece of the Moon, recovered as a single whole stone and offered from the same documented lot of NWA 17706 lunar material in our classified inventory. It is a larger individual than the piece we offered previously, and the surface on this example stands out, a dark and glossy exterior carrying a pronounced melt texture and well defined regmaglypts across the main face. Recovered in Algeria in 2024 and classified that same year, the stone belongs to one of the most limited categories of meteorites a collector can hold, material from the surface of the Moon itself.

NWA 17706 is officially classified as lunar, with a petrographic description of troctolitic anorthosite melt breccia. That composition points to the Moon's primordial crust, rock that formed when the lunar magma ocean crystallized roughly 4.4 billion years ago and was later reworked by impact. The specimen retains its complete natural form as found, with no cutting, no coating, and no modification, preserving the full context of its ejection from the lunar surface and its arrival on Earth.

Surface, melt texture, and regmaglypts

The exterior is dark and glossy, wrapped in a melt texture that flows across much of the stone. Well defined regmaglypts, the rounded thumbprint depressions prized on shaped individuals, sit across the main face and give the piece strong relief and depth under light. Small bright inclusions appear within the darker surface in places, points of contrast against the melt textured skin. Turning the stone reveals a paler face with a more granular texture, a natural counterpoint to the glossy upper surfaces. This is one of the better surfaced lunar individuals we have handled, and it is offered exactly as found, a natural individual with no coating or stabilization.

Internally, the troctolitic anorthosite melt breccia classification records a violent surface history. Troctolitic anorthosite is built primarily from plagioclase feldspar with olivine, mineral phases that crystallized from the Moon's early magma ocean. A melt breccia is rock that was partially melted and welded back together by meteoroid bombardment, binding older crustal fragments into a single mass. The stone carries that history in its makeup, a sample of the lunar highlands assembled and shaped before it ever left the Moon.

Discovery and provenance

NWA 17706 was recovered in Algeria in 2024 and entered the scientific record through the Meteoritical Bulletin as a lunar meteorite that same year. This individual is held in our internal classified inventory and is offered with Treasure Coast Meteorite Co. provenance and a certificate of authenticity documenting its classification. The full classification details are listed at the end of this description.

Scientific context, a piece of the Moon

Lunar meteorites provide direct samples of the Moon without the logistical constraints of a crewed mission. Where the Apollo program collected from six sites near the lunar equator, lunar meteorites arrive from random impact locations across the Moon's entire surface, sampling terrain no mission has visited. Troctolitic anorthosites in particular represent the Moon's primordial crust, formed when lighter plagioclase floated to the top of the global magma ocean while denser minerals sank to build the mantle. That differentiation, completed within the first hundred million years of lunar history, created the bright highlands still visible from Earth.

The melt breccia classification records the bombardment that followed. Repeated impacts delivered enough energy to partially melt surface rock, welding older crustal fragments into new masses like this one. Lunar meteorites account for well under one percent of all classified meteorites, which places NWA 17706 among the most limited material available to collectors. Further background is available in our lunar meteorites collection.

Frequently asked questions

Is this really from the Moon?
Yes. NWA 17706 is officially classified as a lunar troctolitic anorthosite melt breccia and is recorded in the Meteoritical Bulletin. The specimen includes a certificate of authenticity from Treasure Coast Meteorite Co.

How does this piece compare to the one you offered before?
It comes from the same documented lot of NWA 17706 and is a larger individual at 53.80 grams. The surface on this example is also more striking, with a glossy melt texture and well defined regmaglypts across the main face.

Does it have fusion crust?
No. It is offered as a natural individual with a melt textured surface and regmaglypts rather than a fresh fusion crust.

What does troctolitic anorthosite mean?
It is a rock dominated by plagioclase feldspar with a significant olivine content. These minerals crystallized from the Moon's magma ocean roughly 4.4 billion years ago to form the primordial lunar crust.

What is included?
You receive the complete 53.80 gram individual and a certificate of authenticity documenting its classification and provenance.

Has the stone been coated or treated?
No. It is offered in natural condition, with no epoxy or stabilizing coating.

Collector significance

Lunar meteorites make up less than one half of one percent of all classified meteorites, and a complete individual carries the appeal of an entire stone rather than a cut fragment. This 53.80 gram piece brings together lunar origin, a complete individual form, a glossy melt textured surface, and well defined regmaglypts in a single specimen, with display presence well above the typical small fragment.

The troctolitic anorthosite classification ties this stone to the Moon's oldest crust, formed during the magma ocean stage before later bombardment cratered the surface. For a collector building a lunar section or focused on planetary formation, it is a substantial and well documented example. The classification can be reviewed in the Meteoritical Bulletin entry for NWA 17706. Treasure Coast Meteorite Co., IMCA #3323.