An Indonesian coffin artisan became a millionaire overnight when a rare meteorite struck his garden, drawing interest from a U.S. buyer. The proceeds allow this 33-year-old retiree to fund a local church.
The saying "money doesn't fall from the sky" rang false for Josua Hutagalung, a coffin maker in Indonesia. As reported by CNN Indonesia on November 19, 2020 (video at article's end), it began on August 1, 2020. Working from home, Hutagalung heard a growing rumble and stepped outside to find a meteorite that had pierced his roof and burrowed about 15 cm into his garden.
After filming the 2 kg object and sharing it on social media, curiosity spread quickly—including from scientists. An anonymous U.S. buyer dispatched an expert to Indonesia. Following negotiations, the expert acquired the meteorite for $1.6 million.
In Indonesia, this windfall enabled Hutagalung to retire at 33. Deeply religious, he plans to support church construction in his community. A father of three sons, he hopes for a daughter and views the event as a divine blessing.
Well-informed on its value, Hutagalung negotiated shrewdly. Experts classified it as a carbonaceous chondrite, likely over 4 million years old—highly sought after for scientific study.
He's not alone in such discoveries. In July 2020, a German man identified the largest known stony meteorite in Germany—weighing 30 kg—found in 1989 but overlooked for about 30 years until analysis at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
Here's the CNN Indonesia report:
