Tsarev - L5 Ordinary Chondrite - Complete Slice - 42.39g - Volgograd Region (Lower Volga)

A 42.39g complete slice of Tsarev, cut right across the stone so the full outline and its weathered edge frame a broad, even face of grey chondritic matrix flecked with bright metal.

Tsarev is a well-known L5 Ordinary Chondrite from the Volgograd region of the lower Volga steppe. It is associated with a probable fall on 6 December 1922 near the village of Tsarev, although the stones were not found until 1968 and were officially recognised as meteorites in 1979. With a reported total recovered weight of over 1.1 tonnes, it is one of the more substantial chondrite recoveries of the twentieth century and has a long place in historic meteorite collecting.

Specimens of Tsarev show the compact texture of an L5 Ordinary Chondrite, with subdued chondrules, scattered metal grains and silicate minerals altered by thermal metamorphism on the parent asteroid. The type 5 classification indicates significant recrystallisation, while still preserving enough chondritic structure to show its primitive origin. A slice like this one shows the interior far more clearly than a natural stone, which is why cut pieces are so popular for study and display.

For collectors, Tsarev offers notable mass, a documented recovery story and classic ordinary chondrite character. Its probable fall history, later recovery and official L5 classification make it a strong choice for collections of historic falls or representative chondrites. Each piece is ancient asteroid material, formed over 4.5 billion years ago.